IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


^ 


/, 


4^' 


1.0 


1.1 


mm  Jjm 
£  U£    12.0 


IL25  HI  1.4 


M 

1^ 


Hiotographic 

Sdences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  I45S0 

(716)  S73-4S03 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVi/ICIViH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  da  microraproductions  historiquas 


O^ 


Tschnical  and  Bibliographic  Notaa/Notas  tachniquaa  at  bibiiographiquaa 


Tlia  Inatituta  haa  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  baat 
original  copy  availabia  for  filming.  Faaturaa  of  thia 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographically  uniqua, 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagaa  in  tha 
raproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  changa 
tha  uaual  mathod  of  filming,  ara  chackad  balow. 


D 


D 


□ 


D 


D 


Colourad  covara/ 
Couvartura  da  coulaur 


I     I   Covara  damagad/ 


Couvartura  andomr^f;g4a 


Covara  raatorad  and/or  laminatad/ 
Couvartura  raatauria  at/ou  palliculAa 


I — I   Covar  titia  miasing/ 


La  titra  da  couvartura  manqua 


r~~|   Colourad  mapa/ 


Cartaa  gtographiquaa  ti  coulaur 


□   Colourad  ink  (i.a.  othar  than  blua  or  black)/ 
Encra  da  coulaur  (i.a.  autra  qua  blaua  ou  noira) 

I     I   Colourad  plataa  and/or  iiluatrationa/ 


Planchaa  at/ou  iiluatrationa  an  coulaur 


Bound  with  othar  matariai/ 
Ralli  avac  d'autraa  documanta 


Tight  binding  may  cauaa  thadowa  or  distortion 
along  intarior  margin/ 

La  re  liura  sarria  paut  cauaar  da  I'ombra  ou  da  la 
diatoraion  !•  long  da  la  marga  intAriaura 

Blank  laavaa  addad  during  rastoration  may 
appaar  within  tha  taxt.  Whanavar  possible,  these 
have  bean  omittad  from  filming/ 
il  sa  paut  qua  cartainaa  pagaa  blanches  aiouties 
lors  d'una  raatauratlon  apparaiaaant  dana  la  texte. 
mala,  lorsqua  cala  Atait  possibia,  ces  pagaa  n'ont 
paa  «t«  filmtes. 

Additional  commanta:/ 
Commantairea  suppiimantaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm*  la  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  ttt  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
da  cat  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniquas  du 
point  da  vua  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mtthoda  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquis  ci-dessous. 


n 

n 

D 

0 


D 


Coloured  pages/ 
Pagaa  da  coulaur 

Pagaa  damagad/ 
Pagaa  andommagias 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pagas  restaurAes  at/ou  peiiicuiies 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  dicolories,  tacheties  ou  piquias 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ditachies 

Showthrough/ 
Transparenca 


I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 


Quality  inigaia  de  I'impression 

Includas  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  suppiimentaiie 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seula  Mition  disponibia 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissuas,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totaiement  ou  partiellemant 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillat  d'errata.  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  M  filmtes  A  nouveau  de  faqon  A 
obtanir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  Itam  is  filmad  at  tha  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  documant  ast  film*  au  taux  de  rMuction  indiqu*  ci-dassous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

y 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


tails 

du 

>difier 

una 

naga 


The  copy  filmed  hare  has  bean  raproducad  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of: 

National  Library  of  Canada 


Tha  images  appearing  here  are  the  beet  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  Iceeping  with  the 
filming  contract  spacificetions. 


Original  copies  in  printed  peper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  Illustrated  Impree- 
sion,  or  the  bacic  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  tha  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  Illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  ^»>  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


L'exemplaire  film*  f ut  reprodult  grAce  A  la 
g4n*rositA  da: 

BIbliothdque  nationala  du  Canada 


Lea  images  suivantes  ont  4t4  reproduites  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin,  compta  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattetA  de  rexemplaire  fllm6,  et  en 
conformity  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  de 
fllmage. 

Lea  exemplairas  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  eat  imprimte  sont  filmte  an  commandant 
par  la  premier  plat  et  en  termlnant  soit  par  la 
dernldre  page  qui  comporte  una  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'iliustration,  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  las  autras  exemplairas 
originaux  sont  filmte  en  commengant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'iliustration  et  en  termlnant  par 
la  dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symbolas  suivants  apparattra  sur  la 
darni^re  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  salon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  -^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
aymboia  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc..  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  lerge  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  In  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  es 
required.  The  following  diagrama  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmAs  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diff6rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atra 
reprodult  en  un  seul  clich6, 11  est  fiimA  A  partir 
de  I'angle  sup^rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'Imagas  n6cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrant  la  mithoda. 


rata 


elure. 


J 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

TB 


THE  SECOND  FAR  WITH  EmiND. 


) 


.t 


kXSTBOM 


i 


THE   SECOND    WAK 


WITH 


ENGLAND. 


BY   J.    T.   HEADLEY, 


ACTOOB  OF  "napoleon  AMD  HIS  VABBnAlS/*  "  WABIIIICOTOir  AMD  DIB  QIMaBAtS," 
''THX  OLD  OUARD,"  ^'BOOTT  AMD  JA0K8OM,*  Sm  VTO. 


IN    TWO    VOLUMES. 


VOL.  I. 


NEW  YORK : 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER,  145  NASSAU  STREET. 

1853. 


76717 


Snterod,  aooording  to  Act  of  Congrefls,  in  the  year  1668,  hj 

0HABLE8  BCBIBNER, 

In  tbe  Clerk^s  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Bonthern 

District  of  New  Yorlc 


C.   W.    BENEDICT, 

Btebsottpbb  and  Pbintbb, 

12  Spraoe  Street,  N.  Y 


A 


PREFACE. 


More  books,  probably,  have  been  written  on  the  War  of 
1812  than  on  any  other  portion  of  our  history.  The  great 
political  leaders  of  that  time  were  so  vindictive  in  their  animo- 
sities, and  took  such  strong  and  decided  ground  on  all  poli- 
tical questions,  that  the  success  of  one  or  the  other  after- 
wards in  public  life  depended  very  much  on  his  conduct 
during  the  war.  Hence,  much  detached  and  personal 
history  has  been  written  in  order  to  clear  up  or  illustrate 
some  particular  event.  A  candidate  for  public  ofBce  was 
often  chosen  for  his  services  in  the  war ;  hence,  every  portion 
of  it  in  which  he  took  part  was  thoroughly  investigated  by 
both  friends  and  foes.  So  if  one  had  failed  in  that  trying 
period  of  the  country,  the  world  was  sure  to  hear  of  it  when 
he  came  up  for  the  suffrages  of  the  people.  The  war  proved 
very  unfortunate  for  some  of  the  leaders,  and  court  martials 
and  disgrace  closed  the  career  of  many  which  had  hitherto 
been  bright  and  prosperous.  These  men  have  written  long 
pamphlets  and  books  in  self-defence,  or  they  have  been  written 


PREFACE. 


bj  their  descendants,  so  that  if  hearing  both  sides  would  aid 
the  reader  in  coming  to  a  correct  conclusion,  he  vna  pretty 
sure  to  reach  it.  When  so  many  quarrels  are  to  be  settled  the 
public  will  not  fail  to  be  informed  all  about  the  origin  of  them. 
Another  class  of  works  have  been  written,  designed  only  to 
furnish  a  synopsis  of  the  war,  and  scarcely  reach  to  the  value 
of  histories.  Others  have  been  confined  solely  to  the  military  and 
naval  movements — others  still  are  devoted  almost  exclusively 
to  political  matters  of  that  period ;  so  that  notwithstanding  the 
large  supply  of  works  on  the  War  of  1812, 1  know  of  none  in 
which  all  these  different  topics  are  even  attempted  to  be  com- 
bined in  proper  proportions.  The  present  work  is  an  effort 
to  accomplish  that  end  without  being  too  voluminous  on  the 
one  hand,  or  too  general  on  the  other.  I  have  endeavored  to 
give  impressions  as  well  as  facts — to  trace  the  current  and 
depict  the  phases  of  public  feeling,  rather  than  inflict  on  the 
reader  long  documents  and  longer  debates,  in  which  everything 
that  gave  them  life  and  interest  was  carefully  excluded  by  the 
reporter. 

The  effects  of  the  fierce  conflict  waged  between  the  Federalists 
and  Democrats  during  the  war  have  not  yet  passed  away, 
and  many  of  the  actors  in  it  are  still  living,  who  retain  their 
old  prejudices  and  hatred.  Their  near  descendants  and  rela- 
tives, though  so  many  of  them  are  found  in  the  ranks  of 
democracy,  still  defend  the  memory  of  those  whose  names  they 
bear,  and  endeavor  to  throw  discredit  on  the  writer  who 
would  rob  them  of  reputation,  and  consign  them  to  the 
obloquy  they  deserve.  In  a  war  like  the  late  one  with  Mexico, 
where  almost  every  officer  was  a  hero,  and  in  narrating  the 
progress  of  which  the  historian  is  called  upon  only  to  eulogize, 


PREFAOB. 


Vll 


bis  task  is  an  easy  one.    But  in  one  like  that  of  1812,  in 
which  the  most  conspicuous  leaders  met  with  signal  defeat 
and  disgrace,  and  instead  of  winning  reputation,  lost  that  which 
hnd  illustrated  them  in  the  revolutionary  struggle,  the  historian 
necessarily  recalls  feuds  and  assails  character,  which  is  sure  to 
bring  down  on  him  the  maledictions  and  open  condemnation  of 
Ifriends  and  relations.    A  noble  man  and  true  patriot,  like 
General  Dearborn,  will  never  want  friends  who  will  deny 
Ibis  incompetency  as  commander-in-chief,  while  one  who  had 
iwon  80  brave  a  name  in  the  revolution,  and  was  so  estimable 
la  man  in  social  life  as  General  Hull,  must  always  be  defended 
|by  those  in  whose  veins  his  blood  flows.    The  inefficiency  and 
}lunders  of  the  government  remain  to  this  day  to  many  a 
sufficient  apology  for  the  conduct  of  Wilkinson,  Hampton  and 
)ther8. 
Having  no  animosities  to  gratify,  and  no  prejudices  to  favor, 
have  set  down  nought  in  malice,  but  have  endeavored  to 
[ascertain,  amid  conflicting  testimony,  the  exact  truth,  without 
regarding  the  friendly  or  hostile  feelings  the  declaration  of  it 
light  awaken.     In  many  cases  I  have  withheld  much  that 
fB&  personal,  because  it  was  not  necessary  to  my  purpose,  and 
jBcless  only  in  self-defence.    That  I  should  reconcile  difliculties 
irhich  have  never  yet  been  healed,  and  please  rivals  who  have 
ivei   hated  each  other,  was  not  to  be  expected.    J  have 
ittempted  also  to  give  a  clear  impression  of  the  political  and 
kocial  feelings  of  the  times,  and  make  the  reader,  as  far  as  lay 
|n  my  power,  live  amid  the  scenes  I  depict. 

Two  new  features  have  been  introduced  into  the  present 
rork,  which  I  though  necessary  to  a  complete  history  of  the 
irar,  viz.,  privateering  and  the  Dartmoor  Prison. 


VUl 


PBEFAOE. 


in 


It  would  be  impossible  to  give  all  tbe  authorities  to  which 
I  am  indebted.  State  papers,  records,  journals,  Gazettes  o! 
the  time  have  been  consulted,  as  well  as  histories,  while  I 
have  earnestly  sought  for  information  from  the  survivors  of 
the  war.  In  many  cases  I  Lave  omitted  references  to  books 
in  which  facts  I  state  are  found  recorded,  because  I  came 
across  them  in  old  pamphlets,  letters,  and  newspaper  para- 
graphs, whese,  probably,  the  original  compiler  also  obtained 
them.  I  cannot  omit,  however,  acknowledging  the  vast  aid 
I  have  derived  from  Niles'  Register.  A  more  valuable  peri- 
odical was  never  published  in  this  country.  IngersoU's 
History  also,  though  very  deficient  in  arrangement,  con- 
tains more  valuable  material  than  any  other  work  embracing 
the  same  period. 


CONTENTS  OP  VOL.  I. 


CHAPTER  1. 

A  REVIEW    OF   THE   CAUSES   LEADING    TO  THE  SECOND  WAR  WITH 

ENGLAND. 

Duplicity  and  oppressive  acts  or  the  Britisli  Oovcrnment  contrasted  with  thu 
forbearance  of  the  United  States— Character  of  Madison— Debates  in  Con- 
gress on  War  measnres— Declaration  of  War,    16 


ri 


CHAPTER  n. 

Dlfltorent  feelings  with  which  the  Declaration  of  War  was  received— State  of 
tlie  parties  at  tlie  commencement — Federalists  and  Domocrate — ^Their  hos- 
tility—Absurd doctrines  of  the  Foderalistfr— Hostility  of  Now  England — 
Unprepared  state  of  the  country — Culpable  neglect  of  the  government — 
Comparative  strength  of  the  two  navies— Empty  state  of  the  Treasury— In- 
efficiency of  the  Cabinet,      ..•*..«•..  06 


CHAPTER  III. 

Plan  of  the  Campaign — General  Hall  sent  to  Detroit— British  oflScers  first 
receive  news  of  the  declaration  of  war— Capture  of  Hairs  baggage,  etc. — 
Enters  Canada  and  issues  a  proclamation,  and  sends  oat  detachments — 
Colonels  McArthur  and  Ooss  advance  on  Maiden— Hall  reftises  to  sustain 
them— Recrosses  to  Detroit— Van  Home's  defeat—Colonel  Miller  defeats  the 
enemy,  and  opens  Hull's  Commanicationa— Strange  conduct  of  Hull— Ad- 
vance of  the  British— Surrender  of  Detroit— Indignation  of  the  officers— 
Review  of  the  Campaign — Rising  of  the  people— Harrison  takes  command— 
Advance  of  the  army, ,      ,  TO 


)l 


1* 


OONTENTB. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


Pag6 


Operations  on  the  New  York  frontier— Battle  of  QMenstown— Death  of  Brook 
— Scott  a  prisonei^— General  Smythe's  Proclamatioo  and  abortive  attempts" 
Cursed  by  the  army— Duel  with  General  Porter— Eotlres  in  disgrace— Dear- 
bom's  movements  and  Ikilares— Kevlow  of  the  campaign  on  the  New  York 
frontier— Character  of  the  officers  and  soldiers, 98 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE    NAVY. 

The  Cabinet  resolves  to  shot  np  our  ships  of  war  In  port— Bemonstrance  of 
Captains  Bainbridge  and  Stnurt— Sodgera  orJ'>red  to  sea— Feeling  of  the 
crew»— Chase  of  the  Belvidere— Narrow  escape  of  the  Constitution  from  an 
English  fleet — Cruise  of  the  Essex— Action  between  the  Constitution  and 
Guerrlere— Effect  of  the  victory  in  England  and  the  United  States — United 
States  takes  the  Macedonian— Lieutenant  Hamilton  carries  the  captured 
colors  to  Washington— Presented  to  Mrs.  Madison  in  a  ball-room— The 
Argus— Action  between  the  Wasp  and  Frolic — Constitution  ci^turea  the 
Java—IIoruet  takes  the  Peacock— Effect  of  these  Yictorlea  abroad,       .        135 


CHAPTER  Vn. 

Harrison  plans  a  winter  campaign— Advance  of  the  army— Battle  and  massa- 
cre at  the  Biver  Baisin— Baseness  of  Prootoi^Promoted  by  his  Government 
— Tecumseh,  bis  character  and  eloquencfr— He  stirs  up  the  Creeks  to  War- 
Massacre  at  Fort  Mimms— Investment  of  Fort  Meigs— Advance  of  Clay's  re- 
inforcements and  their  destruction— Successful  sortie— Flight  of  the  besieg- 
ers—Mi^or  Crogban's  gallant  defence  of  Fort  Stephenson,        .       ,       .       ITT 


OOKTEXFK. 


Page 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


tiaoncey  ordered  to  Lake  Erie  to  bnild  aflMt— A  plan  of  the  campaign-  - 

I  Woolaey— Attack  on  York— Death  of  Oeiiexai  Pike— His  character— Capture 

f  Fort  Qeorge— Gallantry  i>f  Scott— Bepnlse  of  the  British  at  Saokett's  Har> 

I  bor  iy  General  Brown— Dearborn  pnrsnee  Vincent— Niffbt  attack  on  the 

I  American  encampment— Generals  Winder  and  Chandler  taken  prisoners— 

Setrest  of  the  army— Beinforced  by  General  Lewis— Dearborn  at  Fort 

George— Defeat  of  Colonel  Boestler  at  BeaTW  Dam»— Attack  on  Bhwk  Bock 

—Dearborn  withdrawn  firom  the  oommand  of  the  northern  army,  .  800 


f ' ' 


CHAPTER  IX. 

SECOND   SESSION   OF  TOE  TWELFTH  CONGRESS. 

imj  bill— Quinoy  and  Williams— Debate  on  the  bonds  of  merchants  given 
for  BritiBh  goods  imported  in  contraTentlon  of  the  non-importation  aot-^De* 
bate  on  the  bills  increasing  the  army  to  06,000  men— Williams*  report— 
Qaincy*s  attack— CUy*s  rejoinder— Bandolpb,  Oalhoan,  Qoiney,  Lowndes 
and  Clay— State  of  the  Treasury,         .      • 


1 


h'a 


CHAPTER  X. 

Lotion  between  the  Chesapeake  and  Shannon— Bejoicing  lb  England  over  the 
victory— The  Enterprise  captures  the  Boxer— Death  of  Lieutenant  Burrows 
—Daring  cruise  of  the  Argus  in  the  English  and  Irish  channels— Lieutenant 
Allen's  humanity— Action  with  the  Felicaa— Death  of  AUon— His  character,  M4 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Dst  of  transportation  to  the  northern  fronttor— English  fleet  on  our  coast— 
G.'iesapeake  blockaded— Blockade  of  the  whole  coast— Cockbnm  attacks 
Frenchtown— Bnrns  Havre  De  Grace— Attacks  Georgetown  and  Fredcricks- 
it>wn— Arrival  of  Britisli  reinforcements — Attack  on  Craney  Island— Bar- 
barities committed  in  Hampton— Excitcmvnt  oaused  by  these  outrages— Com> 
modore  Hardy  blockades  the  northern  c«>asi— Torpedoes— Hostile  attitude 
of  Massachusetts— liomonstrancos  of  its  legislature— Feeling  of  the  people,  SOT 


CONTENTS. 


Pan 


CHAPTER  XII. 


Peny  obtains  and  equips  a  fleet  on  Lake  Eile— Pats  to  sea— Eentnok  j  marlnet 
—Description  of  the  battle— Gallant  bearing  of  Perry— Slaogliter  on  the 
Lawrence— Perry  after  the  battle— Burial  of  the  offioer»— Exultation  of  the 
people— Harrison  advances  on  Maiden— Flight  of  Proctor— Battle  of  the 
Thames,  and  death  of  Tecoinseb, 871 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

WUklnson  takes  command  of  the  northern  army— Plan  of  the  oampatgn— 
Hampton  entrosted  with  the  6th  military  district  and  takes  position  at 
Phkttsborg— Qaarrel  between  the  two  Generals— Hampton  advances,  against 
orders,  into  Canada :  is  defeated— Concentration  of  Wilkinson *s  army- 
Moves  down  the  Bt  Lawrence— Its  picturesque  aspect— Harassed  by  the 
enemy— Battle  of  Chrystler's  field- Hampton  refhses  to  Join  him— The  expe- 
dition abandoned  and  the  armies  retire  to  winter-quarters— Disappointment 
and  indignation  of  the  war  party,  and  gratification  of  the  Federalists— Aban- 
donment of  Fort  George  and  burning  of  Newark — Loss  of  Fort  Niagara  and 
burning  of  BufiUo  and  the  settlements  along  the  river —Betaliation— 
Gloomy  elose  of  the  campaign, 891 


CHAPTER  XIV 

1813—1814. 

Winter  operations— Decatur  challenges  Commodore  Hardy  to  meet  the  United 
States  and  Maoe  Ionian  with  two  of  his  frigates— Wilkinson's  second  inva- 
sion of  Canada- Battle  of  la  Cole  Mill— Holmes*  expedition  into  Canada— 
Bomantio  character  of  our  border  warfkre— Inroad  of  the  British  marines  to 
Bqrbfook  and  Brookaway's  Ferry, 810 


GONTBNTS. 


ILUI 


Pa«« 


itaekj  nuuinoi 
ughter  on  the 
ultatlon  of  the 
-Battle  of  the 


871 


B  campatgn^ 
6  poiiltion  at 
ranoefl,  against 
on*s  armjr-^ 
raised  by  the 
n— The  expe- 
sappointment 
aliste— Aban- 
b  Niagara  and 
tietaliation— 


891 


1 

the  United 

cond  inva- 

>Canada>- 

■'i 

marinesto 

■t 

810 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THIBTESNTH  OONORKfiS.      MAT  27,   1813. 


Fl«» 


Democratlo  gidn  in  Congresa-ifipirit  in  which  the  two  partice  met^Bnaelan 
mediation  offered  and  accepted,  and  commerce  opened— State  of  the  Treasii* 
ry— Debate  respecting  a  reporter's  seat— Direct  Tax — Webster's  resolations 
—Governor  Chittenden— Strange  condaot  of  parties  in  New  Hampshire— Th« 
embargo— England  proposes  peace— Oommissioners  appointed— Army  bill— 
Webster's  speech  upon  it— Sketch  of  him— The  loan  bill— Defended  by  Mr. 
Eppes— Sketch  of  Mr.  Pickering,  with  his  speech— Sketch  of  John  Forsyth, 
and  his  speech— Calhoun— OrosTenor—BlU  for  the  support  of  military  estab- 
lishments—Speech of  Artemos  Ward— Resolations  of  Otis  in  the  Massaohn- 
setts  Senate— Bepeal  of  the  embargo— Calhonn  and  Webstei^-Strange  rever- 
salof  their  positions— Strength  of  our  navy  and  army,      ....      819 


h  n 


hi 


i:  t- 

t  I] 


I  HIS 


HISTORY  OF  THE  SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


CHAPTER  I. 

I A  RITIXW  OF  THE  CAUSES  LEADIXO  TO  THE  SECOND  WAR  WITH 

ENGLAND. 

|DapUcit7  and  oppreeslTO  acts  of  the  British  Oovernmont  oontrasted  with  the  for- 
bearance  of  the  United  States— Character  of  Madison—Debates  in  Congress 
on  War  meaanree— Declaration  of  War. 


The  peace  which  closed  our  revolutionary  struggle 
Iwas  like  a  wound  healed  only  at  the  surface,  and 
[which  must  be  opened  anew  before  a  permanent  cure 
san  be  effected.  The  desire  for  territory  had  become 
the  ruling  passion  of  the  British  Empire,  and  the  loss 
)f  the  most  promising  part  of  her  vast  possessions 
jould  not,  therefore,  be  borne  with  equanimity.  The 
comparatively  barren  and  inhospitable  tract  lying 
lorth  of  the  St.  Lawrence  and  the  lakes,  which  still 
)elonged  to  her,  was  but  a  sorry  substitute  for  the 
rich  alluvial  bottoms  that  stretched  along  the  western 
rivers,  while  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Lawrence  furnished 
)ut  a  meagre  outlet  compared  with  the  noble  rivers 
id  capacious  harbors  that  seamed  the  inland  and 


Ml 


16 


SECOND  WAB  WITH  ENOLAIO). 


indented  the  coasts  of  the  Atlantic  slope.  Some  have 
supposed  that  England  had  never  abandoned  the  de- 
sign of  recovering  a  part,  if  not  the  whole  of  the  pos- 
sessions she  had  lost  on  this  continent.  If  this  be  true, 
that  purpose  was  doubtless  a  very  vague  one,  and  it 
depended  entirely  on  circumstances  whether  it  ever 
assumed  a  definite  form.  One  thing,  however,  is  cer- 
tain, she  had  determined  to  narrow  down  our  limits 
wherever  it  was  practicable,  and  to  the  fullest  extent 
of  her  power.  This  is  evident  from  the  eagerness  with 
which  she  urged  us  to  acknowledge  the  various  Indian 
tribes  on  our  frontier,  as  independent  nations.  She 
wished  to  have  them  placed  on  a  footing  with  other 
sovereign  States,  so  that  they  could  form  treaties  and 
dispose  of  territory  to  foreign  governnients.  Numer- 
ous and  powerful  tribes  then  roamed  undisturbed  over 
vast  tracts  which  have  since  become  populous  States. 
Could  Great  Britain  have  purchased  these,  or  had 
them  colonized  by  other  foreign  powers,  nearly  the 
whole  line  of  lakes  and  the  territory  west  of  Lake 
Erie  would  have  presented  an  impenetrable  barrier 
to  our  growth  in  the  northwest.  Not  succeeding  in 
this  policy,  she  determined  that  the  Indians  should 
retain  possession  of  the  land  as  her  allies.  This  is 
evident  from  the  constant  disturbance  kept  up  on 
our  northwestern  frontiers — from  Lord  Dorchester's 
speeches  instigating  the  Indians  to  war,  and  from 
the  faot  that  an  English  fort  was  erected  within  the 


DESIGN  OF  EKOLAin). 


17 


territory  of  the  republic.  So  resolved  was  the  Brit- 
ish Government  on  this  course  that  it  for  a  long  time 
refused  to  carry  out  the  stipulations  of  the  treaty  of 
1783,  and  still  retained  American  posts  captured  by 
its  forces  during  the  revolutionary  war.  The  defeat 
of  General  Harmar,  in  1790,  and  of  St.  Clair,  in 
1791,  were  not  wholly  owing  to  our  inefficiency  or 
to  Indian  prowess,  but  to  British  interference  and  en- 
couragement. 

The  victory  of  "Wayne,  which  followed  these  dis- 
astrous expeditions,  proved  this  true.  Canadian  mil- 
itia and  volunteers  were  found  in  the  Indian  armies, 
while  the  battle  that  completed  their  overthrow  ended 
under  the  walls  of  a  British  fort  standing  on  Ameri 
can  ground.  These  violations  of  a  sacred  treaty,  and 
undisguised  encroachments  upon  our  territory  on  the 
frontier,  were  afterwards  surpassed  by  still  greater 
outrages  at  sea. 

The  French  revolution  exploding  like  a  volcano  in 
the  heart  of  Europe,  followed  by  a  republic  whose 
foundation  stones  were  laid  in  the  proudest  blood  of 
France — ^the  extinction  of  the  Bourbon  dynasty, 
and  the  loud  declaration  of  rights  which  startled 
every  despot  from  the  Archangel  to  the  Mediterra- 
nean like  a  peal  of  thunder,  had  covered  the  conti- 
nent with  hostile  armies.  The  European  powers  who 
rejoiced  in  the  success'  of  the  revolutionary  strug- 
gle on  these  distant  shores,  because  it  inflicted  a 


» 


t: 


m 


;  ■  ii 


18 


SEOOKD  WAB  WITH  E17QLAND. 


blow  on  their  proud  rival,  saw  with  consternation  the 
principle  that  sustained  it  at  work  in  their  midst.  Like 
the  first  crusade  against  the  infidels,  which  at  once 
healed  all  the  animosities  of  the  princes  of  Europe,  a 
second  crusade,  harmonizing  powers  hitherto  at  vari- 
ance, was  formed  against  this  principle  of  human 
rights,  and  the  allied  armies  moved  down  upon  the 
infant  republic  of  France.  The  devastating  flood  of 
feudalism  would  soon  have  swept  everything  under 
but  for  the  appearance  of  that  strange  embodiment  of 
power,  Kapoleon  Bonaparte.  Rolling  it  back  from 
the  French  borders,  he  commenced  that  long  and 
fearful  struggle  which  ended  only  at  "Waterloo.  Eng- 
land rashly  formed  a  coalition  with  the  continental 
powers,  anticipating  an  easy  overthrow  to  the  ple- 
beian warrior,  but  soon  found  herself  almost  alone 
in  the  conflict ;  and  instead  of  treading  down  her  an- 
cient rival,  began  to  tremble  for  her  own  safety.  The 
long  and  deadly  strife  that  followed  exhausted  her 
resources  and  crippled  her  strength.  Her  war  ships 
stretched  from  Copenhagen  to  the  iffile,  and  to  sup- 
ply these  with  seamen,  she  resorted  to  impressment 
not  only  on  her  own  shores,  amid  her  own  subjects,  but 
on  American  ships,  among  American  sailors.  Our 
merchant  vessels  were  arrested  on  the  high  seas,  and 
men,  on  the  groundless  charge  of  being  deserters, 
immediately  coerced  into  the  British  service.  To 
such  an  extent  was  this  carried,  that  in  nine  months 


DIFREBSMENT  OF  AMEBIOAKB. 


It 


of  the  years  1796  and  '97,  Mr.  King,  the  American 
minister  at  London,  had  made  application  for  the  re- 
lease of  two  hundred  and  seventy-one  seamen^*  most 
of  whom  were  American  citizens. 

At  first  the  British  Government  claimed  only  the 
right  to  seize  deserters ;  but  its  necessities  demand- 
ing a  broader  application  to  right  of  search,  her  ves- 
sels of  war  arrested  American  merchantmen  to  seek 
for  British  seamen,  and  later  still,  for  British  sub- 
jects— finally,  every  sailor  was  obliged  to  prove  him- 
self a  citizen  of  the  United  States  on  the  spot,  or  he 
was  liable  to  be  forced  into  British  service.  Ameri- 
can merchants  were  thus  injured  while  prosecuting 
a  lawful  commerce,  and  worse  than  all,  great  distress 
was  visited  on  the  friends  and  relatives  of  those  who 
were  illegally  torn  from  their  country  and  pressed 
into  the  hated  service  of  a  hated  nation.  Over  six 
thousand  were  known  to  have  been  thus  seized,  while 
the  actual  number  was  much  greater. 

Kot  content  with  committing  these  outrages  on  the 

I  high  seas,  English  vessels  boarded  our  merchantmen 

and  impressed  our  seamen  in  our  own  waters.    That 

line  which  runs  parallel  to  the  sea  coast  of  every 

I  nation,  and  which  is  considered  its  legitimate  boun- 

I  dary,  presented  no  obstacles  to  British  cruisers. 

In  1804,  the  frigate  Cambria  boarded  an  Ameri- 
can merchantman  in  the  harbor  of  New  York,  and 

•  Vide  letter  of  Mr.  King  to  the  Secretary  of  State. 


Iv' 


•i 


20 


SECOND  WAB  WITH  ZSfGJJJXD, 


in  direct  opposition  to  the  port  officers,  carried  off 
several  of  bor  seamen.  To  complete  the  insult,  the 
commander  declared,  in  an  official  letter  to  the 
British  Minister,  that  he  "  considered  his  ship,  while 
lying  in  the  harbor  of  New  York,  as  having  domimon 
around  her  within  the  distance  of  her  huaya?^  Kot 
long  after  a  coasting  vessel  while  going  from  one 
American  port  to  another,  was  hailed  by  a  British 
cruiser,  and,  refusing  to  stop,  was  fired  into  and  one 
of  her  crew  killed.  Thus  an  American  citizen  was 
murdered  within  a  mile  of  shore,  and  while  going 
from  port  to  port  of  his  own  country.* 

These  aggressions  on  land  and  insults  at  sea  con- 
tinued, at  intervals,  down  to  1806,  when  our  com- 
merce received  a  more  deadly  blow  from  the  British 
orders  in  council,  and  Napoleon's  famous  Berlin  and 
Milan  decrees.  To  annoy  and  cripple  her  adversary, 
England  declared  the  whole  coast  of  France,  from 
Brest  to  the  Elbe,  in  a  state  of  blockade.  Napoleon 
retaliated  by  the.  Berlin  decree,  in  which  he  declared 
the  British  Islands  in  a  state  of  blockade.  The  next 
year  the  English  government  issued  other  orders  in 
council,  blockading  the  whole  continent,  which  were 
met  by  Napoleon's  Milan  decree. 

These  famous  orders  in  council,  so  far  as  they 
affected  us,  declared  all  American  vessels  going  to 

*  Vide  Letter  of  Madison  to  Mr.  Rose,  the  British  Minister,  dated 
March  5th,  1808. 


PAPEB   BLOCKIHE. 


21 


md  from  the  harbors  of  France  and  Lor  allies,  law- 
ful prizes,  except  such  as  had  lir^t  touched  at,  or 
cleared  from  au  English  port.     The  Berlin  and 

[ilan  decrees,  on  the  other  hand,  pronounced  all 
vessels  that  had  so  touched  at  an  English  port,  or 
illowed  themselves  to  be  searched  by  a  British 
jruiser,  the  property  of  France,  while  British  goods, 

rherever  found,  were  subject  to  confiscation.    In 

short,  if  we  did  not  confine  our  commerce  to  England, 

the  latter  would  seize  our  merchantmen,  wherever 

Ifound,  as  lawful  prizes,  while  if  we  did  trade  with 

her,  or  even  touch  at  her  ports  at  all,  France  claimed 

[them  as  her  property. 

England,  without  the  slightest  provocation,  had 
I  commenced  a  war  against  France,  and  irritated  at 
her  want  of  success,  declared  her  coast  in  a  state  of 
blockade — thus  violating  an  established  law  of 
nations.  The  principle  has  long  been  admitted  and 
acted  upon  by  the  principal  maritime  nations  of  the 
world,  that  neutral  flags  have  a  right  to  sail  from 
port  to  port  of  the  belligerent  powers,  to  carry  any 
merchandise  whatever,  except  those  contraband  of 
war,  such  as  arms,  munitions  of  war,  or  provisions  for 
the  enemy.  The  only  exception  to  it  is  an  actual 
blockade  of  a  port  where  neutrals  are  forbidden  an 
entrance.  This  principle  is  founded  in  common  jus- 
tice; otherwise  two  strong  maritime  nations  might 
make  a  third  neutral  power  the  greatest  sufferer  from 


hM 


SECOND  WAB  WITH  ENGLAND. 


W']'"' 


the  war.    Besides,  if  the  right  to  create  paper  bloct 
ades  is  allowed,  no  restrictions  can  be  placed  upon  it,| 
and  in  case  of  another  war  with  England,  she  could 
declare  the  whole  coast  of  America,  from  Maine  to  I 
Mexico,  and  that  portion  of  our  territory  on  the  | 
Pacific,  in  a  state  of  blockade,  while  the  naval  force 
of  the  world  could  not  maintain  an  actual  one. 

The  injustice  of  these  retaliatory  measures  was 
severely  felt  by  our  government.  They  placed  us,  a 
neutral  power,  in  a  worse  attitude  than  if  allied  to 
one  or  the  other  we  had  been  at  open  war  with  the 
third,  for  in  the  latter  case  our  war  ships  could  have  | 
defended  our  commerce,  which  would  also  have  been 
under  the  protection  of  the  cruisers  of  our  ally.  But 
now  our  men-of-war  were  compelled  to  look  silently 
on  and  see  American  merchantmen  seized,  while  two 
nations,  instead  of  one,  claimed  the  right  to  plunder  us. 
Our  commerce  for  the  last  few  years  had  advanced 
with  unparalleled  strides — so  that  at  this  time  our 
canvass  whitened  almost  every  sea  on  the  globe,  and 
wealth  was  pouring  into  the  nation.  Suddenly,  as  if 
the  whole  world,  without  any  forewarning,  had  de- 
clared war  against  us  ;  the  ocean  was  covered  with 
cruisers  after  American  vessels,  and  the  commerce 
of  the  country  was  paralyzed  by  a  single  blow. 

But  the  most  extraordinary  part  of  the  whole  pro- 
ceeding was,  that  while  England,  by  her  orders  in 
council,  shut  the  Continent  from  us  and  confiscated 


„  I 

.V' 

Mi     ' 


I 


F0B6BD  ENOLISH  PAFEBS. 


23 


as  a  emuggler  every  American  vessel  that  attempted 
to  enter  any  of  its  ports,  she  hereelf,  with  forged 
papers,  under  the  American  flag,  carried  on  an  ex- 
tensive trade.  The  cov/nterfeit  American  vessel  was 
allowed  to  pass  unmolested  by  British  cruisers,  while 
the  real  American  was  seized.  I ;  was  estimated  that 
England  made  fifteen  thousand  voyages  per  annum 
in  these  disguised  vessels,  thus  appropriating  to  her- 
self all  the  advantages  to  be  gained  by  a  neutral 
nation  in  trading  with  the  Continent,  and  using  our 
I  flag  as  a  protection. 

These  were  the  prominent  causes  of  the  war,  suf- 
iflcient,  one  would  think,  to  justify  the  American 
[Government  in  declaring  it.  One-hundreth  part  of 
[the  provocation  which  we  then  endured,  would 
now  bring  the  two  goveroments  in  immediate  and 
(fierce  collision. 

But,  notwithstanding  England's  desires  and  neces- 
Isities,  she  would  never  have  committed  these  out- 
rages, had  she  not  entertained  a  supreme  contempt 
for  our  power,  and  cherished  an  inextinguishable 
hatred  of  the  nation,  rendering  her  utterly  indiffer- 
ent to  our  rights.  The  treaty  of  1783,  by  which  our 
independence  was  acknowledged,  was  wrung  from 
her  by  stem  necessity.  It  was  not  an  amicable  set- 
[tlement  of  the  quarrel — a  final  and  satisfactory  ad- 
I  justment  of  all  difficulties.  On  the  part  of  England 
it  was  a  morose  and  reluctant  abandonment  of  a 


21 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


lii   ! 


SI      ; 


y  I 


strife  wliicli  was  costing  her  too  dear — the  unwilling 
surrender  of  her  best  provinces  under  circumstances 
dishonorable  to  her  flag,  and  humbling  to  her  na- 
tional pride.  This  hatred  of  the  rebel  colony  was 
mingled  with  contempt  for  our  institutions  and  na- 
tional character,  exhibited  in  a  proud  assumption  of 
superiority  and  disregard  of  our  rights  and  our 
demands.  A  nation  sunk  in  helpless  weakness  may 
submit  to  tyrannical  treatment,  but  one  rapidly 
growing  in  strength  and  resources,  is  sure  to  have  a 
day  of  reckoning,  when  it  will  demand  a  swift  and 
complete  settlement  of  the  long-endured  wrongs. 

Our  wisest  statesmen,  aware  of  this  state  of  feel- 
ing, foresaw  an  approaching  rupture.  The  elder 
Adams,  as  far  back  as  1785,  says,  in  writing  from 
England :  "  Their  present  system  (the  English)  as  far 
as  I  can  penetrate  it,  is  to  maintain  a  determined 
peace  with  all  Europe,  in  order  that  they  may  war 
singly  against  America."*  In  1794,  Washington,  in  a 
letter  to  Mr.  Jay,  after  speaking  of  the  retention  of 
posts  which  the  British  Government  had,  by  treaty, 
ceded  to  us,  and  of  the  conduct  of  its  agents  in  stir- 
ring up  the  Indians  to  hostilities,  says :  "  Can  it  be 
expected,  I  ask,  so  long  as  these  things  are  known  in 
the  United  States,  or  at  least  firmly  believed,  and 
suffered  with  impunity  by  Great  Britain,  that  there 

*  Letter  of  Adams  to  the  Secretary  of  Foreign  Affairs,  19th  of  Jnly, 
1785. 


HOSTILITY  OP  ENGLAND. 


25 


ever  will  or  can  be  any  cordiality  between  the  two 
countries  ?  I  answer,  No.  And  I  will  undertake, 
without  the  gift  of  prophecy,  to  predict,  that  it  will 
be  impossible  to  keep  this  country  in  a  state  of  amity 
with  Great  Britain  long,  if  those  posts  are  not  sur- 
rendered." Still  later,  Jefferson,  writing  home  from 
England,  says :  "  In  spite  of  treaties,  England  is  our 
enemy.  Her  hatred  is  deep-rooted  and  cordial,  and 
nothing  with  her  is  wanted  but  power,  to  wipe  us 
and  the  land  we  live  in  out  of  existence." 

Having  scarcely  recovered  from  the  debility  pro- 
duced by  the  long  revolutionary  struggle — just  begin- 
ning to  feel  the  invigorating  impulse  of  prosperity,  the 
nation  shrunk  instinctively  from  a  war  which  would 
I  paralyze  her  commerce  and.  prostrate  all  her  rising 
hopes.  The  Government  hesitated  to  take  a  bold 
and  decided  stand  on  its  inghts,  and  urge  their  im- 
mediate and  complete  acknowledgment.  This  for- 
bearance on  our  part,  and  apparent  indifference  to 
the  honor  of  the  nation,  only  increased  the  contempt, 
and  confirmed  the  determination  of  the  British  Gov- 
ernment. Still,  remonstrances  were  made.  Soon 
after  the  arrival  of  the  British  Minister,  Mr.  Ham- 
mond, in  1791,  JefferHon  stated  the  causes  of  com- 
plaint, followed  up  the  next  year  by  an  able  paper 
on  the  charges  niude  by  the  former  against  our  Gov- 
ernment. This  paper  remained  unanswered,  and 
two  years  after  Jefferson  resigned  his  secretaryship. 
2 


li^i 


;■!; 


1  K 

:      1, 


i        1 


SBCOin)  WAB  WITH   ENGLAND. 


•If' 


The  next  year,  1794,  the  British  Government 
issued  an  order  of  council,  requiringjier  armed  ships 
to  arrest  all  vessels  carrying  provisions  to  a  French 
colony,  or  laden  with  its  produce.  The  American 
Government  retaliated  with  an  embargo,  and  began 
to  make  preparations  for  immediate  hostilities.  In  a 
few  months  the  order  was  revoked,  and  one  less  ex- 
ceptionable issued,  that  calmed  for  awhile  the 
waters  of  agitation,  and  Mr.  Jay  was  sent  as  Minister 
to  England,  to  negotiate  a  new  treaty,  which  was  to 
settle  all  past  difficulties,  establish  some  principles 
of  the  law  of  nations,  especially  thop3  affecting  bel- 
ligerents and  neutrals,  and  to  regulate  commerce. 
This  treaty  removed  many  of  the  causes  of  complaint, 
but  like  all  treaties  between  a  weak  and  strong  gov- 
ernment, it  secured  to  England  the  lion's  portion. 
But  with  all  its  imperfections  and  want  of  recipro- 
city, it  was  ratified  in  the  spring  of  1796,  and  be- 
came a  law.  Met  at  every  step  by  a  determined  op- 
position, its  discussion  inflamed  party  spirit  to  the 
highest  point,  while  its  ratification  was  received  with 
as  many  hisses  as  plaudits.  Still,  it  brought  a  partial, 
hollow  pacification  between  the  two  governments, 
which  lasted  till  1806,  when  the  orders  in  council  be- 
fore mentioned  were  issued.  Great  Britain,  however, 
hesitated  not  to  impress  our  seamen  and  vex  our  com- 
merce during  the  whole  period,  with  the  exception  of 
the  short  interval  of  the  peace  of  Amiens.    In  1803, 


■i  ■■ 


OBDEBS  IN  COUNCIL. 


27 


with  the  renewal  of  the  war  between  her  and  France, 
impresBiuent  was  again  practiced,  though  met  at  all 
times  by  remonstrance,  which  in  turn  was  succeeded 
by  negotiation. 

Those  orders  in  Council  seemed,  at  first,  to  pre- 
clude the  possibility  of  an  amicable  adjustment  of 
diflSculties.  The  country  was  on  fire  from  Portland 
to  New  Orleans.  Cries  of  distress,  in  the  shape  of 
memorials  to  Congress,  came  pouring  in  from  every 
sea  port  in  the  Union.  Plundered  merchants  in- 
voked the  interposition  of  the  strong  arm  of  power 
to  protect  their  rights,  and  demanded  indemnity  for 
losses  that  beggared  their  fortunes.  Scorn  and  rage 
at  this  bold  high  'landed  robbery,  filled  every  bosom, 
and  the  nation  crembled  on  the  verge  of  war.  Jef- 
ferson, however,  sent  Mr.  Pinckney  as  envoy  extra- 
ordinary to  cooperate  with  Mr.  Monroe,  our  minister 
to  England,  in  forming  a  treaty  which  should  recog- 
nize our  maritime  rights. 

In  the  spring  of  the  next  year  Jefferson  received 
the  treaty  from  London.  It  having  arrived  the  day 
before  the  adjournment  of  Congress,  and  contain- 
ing so  much  that  was  inadmissible,  he  did  not  sub- 
mit it  to  that  body. 

In  the  first  place,  there  was  no  provision  against 
the  impressment  of  seamen  ;  and  in  the  second  place, 
a  note  from  the  British  ministers  accompanied  it, 
stating  that  the  British   government  reserved  to 


II 

.1 


^,1 


28 


SECOND  WAR   WITH   ENGLAND. 


itself  the  right  to  violate  all  the  stipulations  it 
contained,  if  we  submitted  to  the  Berlin  decree,  and 
other  infractions  of  our  rights  by  France.  This 
reservation  on  the  part  of  England  was  an  assumption 
of  power  that  required  no  discussion.  To  declare 
that  she  would  annul  her  own  solemn  treaty,  the 
moment  she  disapproved  of  our  conduct  towards 
other  nations,  was  to  assume  the  office  of  dictator. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  death  of  Fox,  whose  charac- 
ter and  conduct  the  short  time  he  wa's  in  power  had 
given  encouragement  that  a  permanent  peace  could 
be  established,  and  the  election  of  the  dashing  and 
fiery  Canning  to  his  place,  involved  the  negotia- 
tions in  still  greater  embarrassments.  To  indicate 
his  course,  and  reveal  at  the  outset  the  unscru- 
pulous and  treacherous  policy  England  was  hence- 
forth determined  to  carry  out,  he  had  ready  for 
promulgation  long  before  it  could  be  ascertained 
what  action  our  government  would  take  on  that 
treaty,  those  other  orders  in  Council,  blockading  the 
continent  to  us.  He  declared,  also,  that  all  further 
negotiations  on  the  subject  were  inadmissible  ;  thus 
leaving  us  no  other  alternative,  but  to  submit  or  retal- 
iate. Thus  our  earnest  solicitations  and  fervent  desire 
to  continue  on  terms  of  amity — our  readiness  to  yield 
for  the  sake  of  peace  what  now  of  itself  would  pro- 
voke  a  war,  were  met  by  deception  and  insult.  Eng- 
land not  only  prepared  orders  violating  our  rights 


EMBARGO. 


29 


as  a  neutral  nation  while  submitting  a  treaty  that 
protected  them,  but  plundered  our  vessels,  impressed 
our  seamen,  and  threatened  the  towns  along  our 
coast  with  conflagration. 

We  could  not  allow  our  flag  to  be  thus  dishonored, 
our  seamen  impressed,  and  our  commerce  vexed  with 
impunity,  and  declared  common  plunder  by  the  two 
chief  maritime  nations  of  Europe.  Ketaliation, 
therefore,  was  resolved  upon ;  and  in  December  of 
1807,  an  embargo  was  laid  upon  all  American  ves- 
sels and  merchandize.  In  the  spirit  of  conciliation, 
however,  which  marked  all  the  acts  of  government, 
the  President  was  authorized  to  suspend  it  soon 
as  the  conduct  of  European  powers  would  sanction 
him  in  doing  so.  This  embargo  prohibited  all  Ame- 
rican vessels  from  sailing  from  foreign  ports,  all 
foreign  ships  from  carrying  away  cargoes  ;  while  by 
a  supplementary  act,  all  coasting  vessels  were  com- 
pelled to  give  bonds  that  they  would  land  their  car- 
goes in  the  United  States. 

This  sudden  suspension  of  commerce,  threaten- 
ing bankruptcy  and  ruin  to  so  many  of  our  mer- 
chants, and  checking  at  once  the  flow  of  produce 
from  the  interior  to  the  sea-board,  was  felt  severely 
by  the  people,  and  tried  their  patriotism  to  the 
utmost.  Still  the  measure  was  approved  by  the 
majority  of  the  nation.  New  England  denounced 
it,  as  that  section  of  the  republic  had  denounced 


:ll 


80 


SBCOin)  WAB  WITH  ENGLAND. 


!  I  i 


V% 


I  I 


nearly  eyery  measure  of  the  administration  from  its 
commencement.  The  effect  of  the  embargo  was  to 
depress  the  products  of  our  own  country  one  half,  and 
increase  those  of  foreign  countries  in  the  same  pro- 
portion. There  being  no  outlet  to  the  former,  they 
accumulated  in  the  market,  and  often  would  not 
bring  sufficient  to  pay  the  cost  of  mere  transportar 
tion,  while  the  supply  of  the  latter  being  cut  off,  the 
demand  for  them  became  proportionably  great 
Thus  it  fell  as  heavy  on  the  agricultural  classes  as 
on  the  merchant,  for  while  a  portion  of  their  ex- 
penses were  doubled,  the  produce  with  which  they 
were  accustomed  to  defray  them  became  worthless. 
But  ship  owners  and  sailors  suffered  still  more,  for 
the  capital  of  the  one  was  profitless,  and  the  occu- 
pation of  the  other  gone.  It  is  true  it  helped  manu- 
facturers by  increasing  the  demand  for  domestic 
goods ;  it  also  saved  a  large  amount  of  property, 
and  a  vast  number  of  American  ships,  which,  if  they 
had  been  afloat,  would  have  fallen  into  the  hands 
of  French  and  English  cruisers. 

But,  while  the  embargo  pressed  so  heavily  on 
us,  it  inflicted  severe  damage  also  on  France 
and  England,  especially  the  latter.  The  United 
States  was  her  best  customer,  and  the  sudden  stop- 
page of  all  the  channels  of  trade  was  a  heavy  blow 
to  her  manufactures,  and  would,  no  doubt,  have 
compelled  a  repeal  of  the  orders  in  council  to  us, 


X"' 


EFFECT  OF  BMBABQO. 


81 


had  not  she  known  that  we  were  equal,  if  not  greater 
sufferers.  But  while  tlie  two  nations  thus  stood  with 
their  hands  on  each  other's  throats,  determined  to 
see  wliich  could  stand  choking  the  longest,  it  soon 
became  evident  that  our  antagonist  had  greatly  the 
advantage  of  us,  for  the  embargo  shut  ourselves 
out  from  the  trade  of  the  whole  world,  while  it  only 
cut  England  off  from  that  of  the  United  States.  Be- 
sides, being  forced  to  seek  elsewhere  for  the  products 
she  had  been  accustomed  to  take  from  us,  other 
channels  of  trade  began  to  be  opened,  which  threat- 
ened to  become  permanent. 

A  steady  demand  will  always  create  a  supply 
somewhere,  and  this  was  soon  discovered  in  the 
development  of  resources  in  the  West  Indies,  Spain, 
Spanish  America,  and  Brazil,  of  which  the  British 
Government  had  hitherto  been  ignorant. 

Tlie  loud  outcries  from  the  opponents  of  this  mea- 
sure, especially  from  New  England,  also  convinced 
her  that  our  government  must  soon  repeal  the 
obnoxious  act. 

Under  the  tremendous  pressure  with  which  the 
embargo  bore  on  the  people.  New  England  openly 
threatened  the  government.  John  Quincy  Adams, 
who  had  sustained  the  administration  in  its  course, 
finding  his  conduct  denounced  by  the  Massachusetts 
Legislature,  resigned  his  seat,  declaring  to  the  Presi- 
dent that  there  was  a  plan  on  foot  to  divide  New 


Jl 


in 


:        ! 


32 


BECOlfD  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


iV'i' 


1800. 


England  from  the  Union,  and  that  a  secret  emissarj 
from  Great  Britain  was  then  at  work  with  the  ruling 
federalists  to  accomplish  it.  Whether  this  was  true 
or  false,  one  thing  Was  certain,  an  ominous  cloud  was 
gathering  in  that  quarter  that  portended  evil,  the 
extent  of  which  no  one  could  calculate. 

Under  these  circumstances  the  embargo  was 
repealed,  and  the  non-intercourse  law,  prohibit- 
ing all  commercial  intercourse  with  France  r.nd 
Great  Britain  substituted.' 

While  these  things  were  transpiring  an  event 
occurred  which  threatened  to  arrest  all  negotiations. 

The  Chesapeake,  an  American  frigate,  cruising  in 
American  waters,  had  been  fired  into  by  the  Leopard, 
a  British  74,  and  several  of  her  crew  killed.  The 
commander  of  the  latter  claimed  some  British  de- 
serters, whom  he  declared  to  bo  on  board  the  Ameri- 
can ship.  Capt.  Barron  denied  his  knowledge  of 
any  such  being  in  the  Chesapeake ;  moreover,  he  had 
instructed,  he  said,  his  recruiting  officer  not  to  enlist 
any  British  subjects.  The  captain  of  the  Leopard  then 
demanded  permission  to  search.  This,  of  course,  was 
refused,  when  a  sudden  broadside  was  poured  into 
the  American  frigate.  Captain  Barron  not  dreaming 
of  an  encounter,  had  very  culpably  neglected  to  clear 
his  vessel  for  action,  and  at  once  struck  his  flag. 
An  officer  from  the  Leopard  was  immediately  sent  on 
board,  who  demanded  the  muster-roll  of  the  ship, 


CHESAPEAKE  AND  LEOPABD. 


33 


1808. 


and  selecting  four  of  the  crew,  he  retired.    Three  of 

these  were  native  Americans,  the  other  was  hung  as  a 

deserter.    This  daring  outrage  threw  the  country  into 

a  tumult  of  excitement.    Norfolk  and  Portsmouth 

immediately  forbade  all  communication  with  British 

ships  of  war  on  the  coast.    The  war  spirit  was  aroused, 

and  soon  after  Jefferson  issued  a  procla- 
Juljr  a.         ^  ^ 

mation,  prohibiting  all  vessels  bearing  English 
commissions  from  entering  any  American  harbor, 
or  having  any  intercourse  with  the  shore. 

The  act  of  the  Leopard  was  repudiated  by  the 
English  Government;  but  the  rage  that  had 
been  kindled  was  not  so  easily  laid,  especially,  as  no 
reparation  was  made.  Mr.  Monroe,  our  Minister  to 
England,  and  Canning  could  not  adjust  the  matter; 
neither  could  Mr.  Eose,  the  English  Minister,  after- 
wards sent  over  for  that  especial  purpose.  The  Brit- 
ish Government  would  not  consent  to  mingle  it  up 
with  the  subject  of  impressment  generally,  and  re- 
fused to  take  any  steps  whatever  towards  reparation, 
until  the  President's  hostile  proclamation  was  with- 
drawn. Jefferson  replied  that  if  the  minister  would 
disclose  the  terms  of  reparation,  and  they  were  satis- 
factory, their  offer  and  the  repeal  of  the  proclama- 
tion should  bear  the  same  date.  This  was  refused 
and  Mr.  Rose  returned  home. 

March.    In  the  midst  of  this  general  distress  and  clamor, 
2* 


■'^^^t 


li      ' 


84 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


and  strife  of  political  factionR,  Mr.  Madison,  who  had 
been  elected  Prosidontf  began  his  administration. 

Jefferson  had  struggled  in  vain  against  the  unjust 
iusanopolicy  of  England.  Embargoes,  non-intercourse 
acts,  all  efforts  atcommercial  retaliation,  remonstrances, 
arguments  and  appeals  wore  alike  disregarded. 
Proud  in  her  superior  strength,  and  blind  to  her  own 
true  interests,  she  continued  her  high-handed  viola- 
tion of  neutral  rights  and  the  laws  of  nations.  In 
the  mean  time,  the  republic  itself  was  torn  by  fac- 
tions which  swelled  the  evils  that  oppressed  it.  It  was 
evident  that  Madison's  seat  would  not  bo  an  easy 
one,  and  it  was  equally  apparent  that  he  lacked  some 
most  important  qualities  in  a  chief  magistrate  who 
was  to  conduct  the  ship  of  State  through  the  storms 
and  perils  that  were  gathering  thick  about  her.  The 
commanding  mind  overshadowing  and  moulding  the 
entire  cabinet,  the  prompt  decision,  fearless  bearing 
and  great  energy  were  wanting.  His  manifest  re- 
pugnance to  a  belligerent  attitude  encouraged  oppo- 
sition and  invited  attack.  Small  in  stature  and  of 
delicate  health,  with  shy,  distant,  reserved  manners, 
and  passionless  countenance,  he  was  not  fitted  to 
awaken  awe  or  impart  fear.  Still  he  was  a  thorough 
statesman.  His  official  correspondence,  while  Jeffer- 
son's Secretary  of  State,  his  dissertation  on  the  rights 
of  neutral  nations  and  the  laws  that  should  govern 
neutral  trade,  are  regarded  to  this  day  as  the  most 


MADTRON'fl  OFTARACTim. 


85 


li 


I : 


nblo  papera  tlmt  over  issued  from  the  American  cab- 
inet. II  is  know  lcfl<;e  of  tlio  Constitution  was  tliorongh 
siixl  ])ra(;tical,  aii<l  liis  adiicrcnco  to  it  intlexiblo.  Tlio 
exiij:enc,ie8  of  war,  which  always  afford  apologies,  and 
BoiiiotiincH  create  doinands  for  an  illegal  use  of  power, 
never  forced  him  beyond  the  precincts  of  law  or  pro 
yoked  him  to  an  improper  use  of  executive  authoiify. 
His  integrity  was  iifimovablo,  and  though  assailed 
by  envenomed  tongues  and  pursued  by  slanders,  his 
lile  at  the  last  shone  out  in  all  its  purity,  tho  only 
refutation  ho  deigned  to  make. 

But  Madison  possessed  one  quality  for  which  his 
enemies  did  not  give  him  credit,  and  which  boro  him 
safely  through  tho  perils  that  encompassed  his  ad- 
ministration— a  calm  tenacity — a  silent  endurance 
such  as  tho  deeply-bedded  rock  presents  in  the  midst 
of  the  waves.  Men  knew  him  to  be  in  his  very  na- 
ture repugnant  to  war,  and  when  they  saw  him  go 
meekly,  nay,  shrinkingly  into  it,  they  expected  to 
laugh  over  his  sudden  and  disgraceful  exit.  But 
while  ho  was  not  aggressive  and  decided  in  his  con- 
duct, he  boldly  took  tho  responsibilities  which  the  na- 
tion placed  npon  his  shoulders,  and  bore  them  se- 
renely, unshrinkingly  to  the  last.  His  hesitation  in 
approaching  a  point  around  which  dangers  and  re- 
sponsibilities clustered  prepared  the  beholder  for 
weak  and  irresolute  conduct,  but  ho  was  amazed  at 
his  steadiness  of  character.    This  apparent  contra- 


i  I  • 


:r  1: 


m 


1.  !i 


rt 


36 


SEOOITD  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


diction  arose  from  two  conflicting  elements.  Incapar 
ble  of  excitement  and  opposed  to  strife,  ho  naturally 
kept  aloof  from  the  place  where  one  was  demanded, 
and  the  other  to  be  met.  Yet,  at  the  same  time,  he 
had  a  knowledge  of  the  right,  and  an  inflexible  love 
for  it  which  made  him  immovable  when  assailed. 

On  the  whole,  perhaps  the  character  he  possessed 
was  better  fitted  to  secure  the  permanent  good  of  the 
country  than  that  of  a  more  executive  man.  A  bold, 
decided  chief  magistrate,  possessing  genius,  and 
calming  by  his  superior  wisdom  and  strength,  the 
disturbed  elements  about  him,  and  developing  and 
employing  the  resources  of  the  country  at  the  outset, 
would  probably  have  ended  the  war  in  six  months. 
But  the  knowledge  the  country  gained  and  communi- 
cated also  to  other  governments  of  its  own  weakness 
and  power,  was,  perhaps,  better  than  the  misplaced 
confidence  which  sudden  success,  obtained  through 
a  great  leader  would  have  imparted.  In  the  vicissi- 
tudes of  the  war,  we  worked  out  a  problem  which 
needs  no  farther  demonstration. 

Madison's  administration  was  based  on  those  prin- 
ciples which  had  governed  that  of  Jefferson,  and  the 
same  restrictive  measures  were  persevered  in  to  com- 
pel England  to  adopt  a  system  more  conformable  to 
our  rights  and  the  laws  of  neutrality.  In  the  mean 
time  Mr.  Erskine  was  appointed  Minister  on  the  part 
of  Great  Britain  to  adjust  the  difficulties  between  the 


ERSKINE8  TREATY. 


37 


two  countries.  At  first  this  seemed  an  easy  task,  for 
he  declared  that  his  government  wonld  revoke  the 
orders  in  council  on  condition  the  non-intercourse  act 
was  repealed.  The  proposal  was  at  once  communi- 
cated to  Congress  when  it  assembled  in  May,  and  ac- 
cepted by  it.  The  10th  of  June  was  agreed  upon  as 
the  day  on  which  commercial  intercourse  should  rc- 
Aprii  19.  commence  between  the  two  countries,  and 
1809.  the  President  issued  a  proclamation  to  that 
effect.  In  July,  however,  it  was  ascertained  that  the 
British  Government  repudiated  the  agreement  en- 
tered into  by  its  Minister,  declaring  that  he  had  ex- 
ceeded his  instructions.  A  second  proclamation  re- 
establishing non  intercourse  was  instantly  issued,  and 
the  two  countries  were  farther  than  ever  from  a  re- 
conciliation. 

The  conduct  of  Great  Britain,  at  this  period,  pre- 
sents such  a  strong  contrast  to  her  loud  declarations 
before  the  world,  or  rather  stamps  them  as  false- 
hoods so  emphatically,  that  the  historian  is  not  sur- 
prised at  the  utter  perversion  of  facts  with  which  she 
endeavored  to  cover  up  her  turpitude,  and  quiet  her 
conscience.  Without  any  provocation,  she  had  de- 
clared war  against  the  infant  republic  of  France. 
In  order  to  shield  herself  from  the  infamy  which 
should  follow  such  a  violation  of  the  rights  of  na- 
tions, and  waste  of  treasure  and  of  blood,  she 
planted  herself  on  the  grand  platform  of  principle, 


|: 


38 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


iiii 


!i:^  i; 


l:/M 


III 


and  insisted  that  she  went  to  war  to  preserve  human 
1  iberty,  and  the  integi'ity  of  governments.  In  this  vio- 
lent assault  on  a  people  with  whom  she  was  at  peace, 
she  made  a  great  sacrifice  for  the  common  interests 
of  states,  and  hence  deserved  the  gratitude,  and  not 
the  condemnation  of  men.  With  these  declarations 
on  her  lips,  she  turned  and  deliberately  annulled  her 
agreements  with  the  tJnited  States,  and  invaded  her 
most  sacred  rights.  She  impressed  our  seamen, 
plundered  our  commerce,  held  fortresses  on  our  soil, 
and  stirred  up  the  savages  to  merciless  warfare 
against  the  innocent  inhabitants  on  our  frontier. 
While  with  one  hand  she  professed  to  strike  for  the 
rights  of  nations,  with  the  other  she  violated  them 
in  a  hardihood  of  spirit  never  witnessed,  except  in  a 
government  destitute  alike  of  honor  and  of  truth.  So, 
also,  while  sacrificing  her  soldiers  and  her  wealth,  to 
prevent  the  aggressions  of  Napoleon ;  nay,  sending  a 
fleet  and  troops  to  Egypt,  for  the  noble  purpose  of 
saving  that  barbarous  state  from  a  reckless  invader ; 
her  armies  were  covering  the  plains  of  India  with 
its  innocent  inhabitants,  and  robbing  independent 
shiekhs  of  their  lawful  possessions,  until,  at  last,  she 
tyrannized  over  a  territory  fom*  times  as  large  as 
that  of  all  France,  and  six  times  gi'eater  than  her 
own  island.  Such  unblushing  falsehoods  were  never 
before  uttered  by  a  civilized  nation  in  the  face  of 
history.  The  most  imscrupulous  government  does  not 


BXA9PBRATT0N   OF  lirE   PEOPLE. 


39 


of 

LOt 


1^ 


J  of    i; 


:  J 


B 


nsiially  cover  np  its  tyranny  and  aggressions  by 
pharasaic  mummeries.  There  are  all  shades  of 
hypocrisy,  but  to  do  the  most  damning  acts  under 
pretence  of  religious  principle,  has  generally  been 
considered  the  sole  prerogative  of  the  Spanish  in- 
quisition. 

The  disavowal  of  Mr.  Erskine's  treaty  by  the  Eng- 
lish government,  and  the  consequent  renewal  of  the 
non-intercourse  act,  threw  the  country  into  the 
fiercest  agitation.  Tlie  conduct  of  Great  Britain  ap- 
peared like  mockery.  Forcing  us  into  conciliation 
by  promises,  and  then  withdrawing  those  promises ; 
proposing  to  settle  all  difficulties  by  negotiation, 
and  yet,  in  the  progress  of  it,  refusing  to  touch  one 
of  them,  she  determined  to  try  the  patience  of  the 
American  people  to  the  utmost.  The  disavowal  of 
a  treaty  made  by  her  own  minister,  which  buoyed 
up  the  nation  with  the  hope  of  returning  peace  and 
prosperity,  well  nigh  exhausted  that  patience  ;  and 
there  is  little  doubt  but  that  an  immediate  declara- 
tion of  war  would  have  been  sustained  by  a  large 
majority  of  the  American  people.  In  passing  from 
town  to  town,  the  traveller  saw  groups  of  angry  men 
discussing  and  denouncing  the  tyranny  of  England. 
Tlie  shout  of  "  I^ree  trade  and  sailors'  rights^^^  shook 
the  land,  while  flashing  eyes  and  clenched  fists 
told  how  aroused  the  national  feeling  had  become. 

Mr.  Jackson  was  sent,  in  the  place  of  Mr.  Ersklne, 


Ivl^ 


\i 


40 


SECOND  WAR  WnH  ENGLAND. 


ill 


I;  ;1 


m 


m\\ 


1810. 


to  negotiate  a  treaty ;  but  his  proposals  were  the 
same  as  those  which  the  administration  had  already 
rejected,  while  his  insulting  insinuation  that  the 
President  knew  when  he  made  the  arrangement  with 
Mr.  Erskine,  that  the  latter  was  acting  without 
authority,  abruptly  terminated  all  intercourse,  and 
he  was  recalled. 

On  the  first  of  May,  Congress  passed  an  act 
which  revoked  the  restrictive  system,  yet  ex- 
cluded British  and  armed  vessels  from  the  waters 
of  the  United  States.*  It  provided,  however,  that  it 
should  be  renewed  in  March  against  the  nation,  which 
did  not  before  that  time  so  revoke  or  modify  its  edicts, 
as  to  protect  the  neutral  commerce  of  the  United 
States.  Tliis  was  regarded  as  the  ultimatum,  and  be- 
yond it,  war  against  which  ever  government  refused 
our  just  demands,  was  the  only  resort.  Messrs.  Pinck- 
ney  and  Armstrong,  our  ministers  at  the  courts  of 
England  and  France,  were  urged  to  press  the  repeal 
of  those  obnoxious  orders  in  council  and  decrees,  in 
order  that  such  a  catastrophe  might  be  prevented. 
France  receded,  and  Mr.  Armstrong  was  notified 
that  the  decrees  were  to  cease  to  have  effect  after 
the  first  of  November,  provided  England  withdrew 
her  orders  in  council ;  or,  if  she  refused,  that  the 
United  States  should  force  her  to  acknowledge  the 
rights  that  France  had,  in  a  spirit  of  kindness,  con- 

'M' Act  of  Congress,  passed  1st  of  May,  IS  10. 


NAPOLEON   REVOKES   IIIS  DECBEES. 


41 


■^ 


ceded.  This  glad  intelligence  was  made  known  by 
the  President  in  a  proclamation,  in  which  he  also 
declared,  that  imless  the  British  government  re- 
pealed her  orders  in  council,  within  three  months 
from  that  date,  the  non-intercourse  law  should  be 
revived  against  it. 

In  the  mean  time  Mr.  Pinckney  urged,  with  all  the 
arguments  in  his  power,  the  English  Cabinet  to  re- 
cede from  its  unjustifiable  position.  The  latter  en- 
deavored, by  prevarication  and  duplicity,  to  avoid 
coming  to  a  definite  understanding,  but  being  closely 
pushed,  it  at  length  gave  our  minister  to  understand 
that  the  United  States  must  force  France  to  take  the 
first  step  in  revoking  those  odious  acts  against  which 
we  complained.  But  as  England  had  been  the 
aggressor,  this  was  plainly  unjust  and  impossi- 
ble, and  all  hope  of  a  peaceful  settlement  was 
given  up,  and  on  the  Ist  of  March,  1811,  he  took  a 
formal  leave  of  the  Prince  Regent.  At  the  same 
time  Congress  had  passed  an  act,  authorizing  the 
President  to  arrest  the  non-intercourse  Act  at  any 
moment  that  England  should  revoke  her  orders  in 
April  council.  On  the  38th  of  the  next  month,  Na- 
**"•  poleon  definitely  revoked  his  Berlin  and  Milan 
decrees,  so  far  as  they  related  to  us — the  repeal  to  be 
ante-dated  November  1st,  1810.  This  decree  was 
forwarded  by  our  minister,  Mr.  Barlow,  who  had 
succeeded  Armstrong,  to  the  English  Government, 


i        ! 


i 
1  'i 


!   I 


42 


BKOOND  WAR  Wmi  RNOI^AND. 


1811. 


l)«t  it  Btlll  rof\j80(l  to  ropoal  its  orders  in  council  on 
the  ground  that  tlio  decree  did  not  embrace  the  con- 
tinental Btatoa,  and  atVected  only  the  United  States. 
It  Boon  became  apparent,  therefore,  to  everyone,  that 
war  was  inevitable.  The  American  Government  iiad 
placed  itself,  where  it  could  not  recede  without 
disgrace,  while  England  was  evidently  resolved  not 
to  change  her  attitude. 

Another  collision  at  sea  between  two  armed  vessels 
inflamed  still  more  the  war  spirit  that  was 
pervading  the  land.  On  the  16th  of  May  a 
Pritish  sloop  of  war,  the  Little  Belt,  fired  into  the 
frigate  President^  thinking  doubtless  to  repeat  the 
outrage  committed  on  the  Chesapeake,  but  found  her 
fire  returned  with  such  heavy  broadsides  that  in  a 
few  minutes  thirty-two  of  her  crew  were  killed  or 
wounded.  The  commander  of  the  English  ship  de- 
clared that  the  American  frigate  fired  first.  This 
Boiigors  denied,  and  his  denial  was  sustained  by  all 
his  oflicers. 

The  eltMjtion  of  members  of  Congress,  which  took 
place  in  1810  and  11,  had  given  a  majority  to  the  ad- 
ministration, so  that  there  could  be  harmony  of  action 
between  the  Leffislature  and  the  Executive.  Beset 
with  difficulties,  treading  on  the  brink  of  a  war, 
whose  issues  could  not  be  foreseen,  anxious  and  un- 
certain, the  President,  by  proclamation,  called  the 
Twelfth  Congress  together  a  month  before  the  ap- 


TWKIiFm  OONOmWS. 


48 


pointed  time.  It  met  Nov.  8tli,  and  Henry  Clay 
wns  choRcn  spoakor.  From  the  outset  he  liud  been  a 
wjinn  supporter  of  the  Adminiatrtttion,  and  his 
eloquent  voiee  luid  rung  over  tlie  land,  rousing  up 
itH  warlike  spirit,  and  inspiring  confidence  in  the 
ability  of  the  nation  to  maintain  its  rights.  James 
Fisk,  of  Vermont,  Peter  B.  Porter,  and  Samuel  L. 
Mitchell,  of  New  York,  Adam  Leybcrt,  of  Penn., 
Kobci-t  Wright,  of  Md.,  Hugh  Nelson,  of  Va., 
Nathaniel  Macon,  of  N.  C,  Calhoun,  Langdon 
Cheeves,  and  Wm.  Lowndes,  of  S.  C,  Wm.  M.  Bibb 
and  George  M.  Troup,  of  Ga.,  Felix  Grundy,  of  Tenn., 
and  Wm.  P.  Duval,  of  Ky.,  rallied  round  the  young 
speaker,  and  presented  a  noble  phalanx  to  the 
anxious  President.  On  the  other  side  were  Josiah 
Qnincy,  of  Mass,  and  Timothy  Pitkin  and  Benjamin 
Talmadge,  of  Conn. 

In  the  Senate  the  democratic  leaders  were  Samuel 
Smith,  of  Md.,  Wm.  B.  Giles,  of  Va.,  Wm.  II. 
Crawford,  of  Ga.,  George  W.  Campbell,  of  Tenn.,  and 
George  M.  Bibb,  of  Ky.  Leading  the  opposition 
were  James  Lloyd,  of  Mass.,  and  James  A.  Bayard, 
of  Del.* 

The  great  accession  of  strength  which  the  demo- 
cratic members  had  received,  showed   clearly  the 
state  of  public  feeling,  especially  south  and  west,  and 
the  doubtful,  hesitating  policy  of  the  last  four  years 
*  Vide  Madison's  Administration,  by  John  Quincy  Adams. 


1'  'I 


f?  ^■ 


44 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


lilllllli 


was  thrown  aside.  The  tone  of  the  President's 
Message  was  also  decidedly  warlike,  and  no  hope 
was  held  out  of  an  amicable  adjustment  of  the 
difficulties  with  England.  They  were  invoked  as  the 
"Legislative  guardians  of  the  nation,"  to  put  the 
country  "into  an  armed  attitude,  demanded  by 
the  crisis."  The  halls  of  Congress  resounded  with 
the  cry  of  "  to  arms."  The  nightmare  of  fear  and 
doubt  which  had  weighed  down  its  councils  was 
removed,  and  bold  and  fearless  speakers  called  aloud 
on  the  nation  to  defend  its  injured  honor  and  insulted 
rights.  The  might  of  England  had  ceased  to  be 
a  bugbear — the  Rubicon  of  fear  was  passed. 
Mr.  Madison,  deprecating  precipitate  measures,  saw 
with  alarm  the  sudden  belligerent  attitude  which 
Congress  had  assumed.  The  democratic  leaders 
however  told  him  the  nation  was  for  war — that  timid- 
ity would  be  his  ruin — that  those  who  were  resolved 
to  make  Mr.  Clinton  their  candidate  at  the  next 
presidential  election  were  taking  advantage  of  his 
hesitation.  In  the  mean  time  bills  providing  for  tho 
enlistment  of  twenty-five  thousand  men  in  the 
regular  army ;  for-  repairing  and  equipping^'igates 
and  building  new  vessels  ;  authorizing  the  President 
to  accept  the  services  of  fifty  thousand  volunteers, 
and  to  require  the  Governors  of  the  several  States 
and  territories  to  hold  their  respective  quotas  of 


1 


RANDOLPH'S  SPEECEL 


45 


a  hundred  thousand  men  in  readiness  to  march  at  a 
moment's  warning,*  were  rapidly  pushed  through 
Nut.  7  Cougress.    The  brilliant  victory,  gained  three 

**"•  days  after  Congress  met  by  Harrison,  over  the 
Indians  at  Tippecanoe,  helped  also  to  kindle  into 
higher  excitement  the  martial  spirit  of  the  West  and 
South-west,  and  for  a  while  opposition  seemed  to  be 
struck  powerless  before  the  rising  energy  of  the 
nation. 

The  bill  authorizing  the  President  to  accept  and 
organize  certain  military  corps  to  the  number  of 
50,000,  reported  by  Mr.  Porter,  Chairman  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  Foreign  Affairs,  called  forth  a  long  and  ex- 
citing debate.  Mr.  Grundy,  one  of  the  committee, 
defended  the  resolution  in  a  bold  and  manly  speech. 
Referring  to  the  Indian  hostilities  on  our  north-west- 
em  frontier,  he  unhesitatingly  declared  that  they 
were  urged  forward  by  British  influence,  and  war, 
therefore,  was  already  begun.  Some  of  the  richest 
blood  of  the  country  had  already  been  shed,  and  ho 
pledged  himself  for  the  western  country,  that  its 
hardy  sons  only  waited  for  permission  to  march 
and  avenge  those  who  had  fallen.  He  was  an- 
swered by  Kandolph,  who  denied  that  Great  Britain 
had  stimulated  the  Indians  .to  their  merciless  border 
warfare — stigmatized  the  war  to  which  this  resolu- 
tion looked  as  a  war  of  conquest — declared  it  was 

*  Vide  Madison's  Administration,  by  John  Quincy  Adams. 


'  ( 


n 


!   ■„     ii 


4$ 


SECOND  WAB  WT.J  ENOLAIO). 


jiii 


I      m' 


another  mode  of  flinging  ourselves  into  the  arms  of 
Bonaparte  and  becoming  ^^  the  instruments  of  him 
who  had  efifuced  the  title  of  Atilla  Uhe  scourge  of 
God;  » 

He  ridiculed  the  idea  which  had  been  started  of 
conquering  Canada,  as  an  insane  project,  and  useless  if 
accomplished.  *^  Suppose  it  is  ours,"  he  exclaimed, 
"are  we  any  nearer  to  our  point?  As  his  minister 
•  said  to  the  king  of  Epirus,  "  may  we  not  as  well  take 
our  bottle  of  wine  before  as  after  the  exploit  ?  Go 
march  to  Canada — ^leave  the  broad  bosom  of  the 
Chesapeake  and  her  hundred  tributary  rivers — the 
whole  line  of  sea-coast  from  Machias  to  St.  Mary's 
unprotected.  You  have  taken  Quebec — have  you 
conquered  England?  Will  you  seek  for  the  deep 
foundations  of  her  power  in  the  frozen  depths  of  Lab- 
rador ? 


*  Her  m&rch  is  on  the  moontain  wave, 
Her  home  is  on  the  deep.* 


Will  you  call  upon  her  to  leave  your  ports  and  har- 
bors untouched  only  just  till  you  can  return  from 
Canada  to  defend  them  ?  The  coast  is  to  be  left  de- 
fenceless whilst  men  in  the  interior  are  revelling  in 
conquest  and  spoil."  He  pronounced  the  country 
to  be  in  a  state  wholly  unfit  for  war. 

Mr.  Clay  answered  him  in  an   eloquent  speech. 
He    defended    the    character    of   our  troops,    and 


CLAY  8  SPEECH. 


47 


expressed  bis  full  confidence  in  the  loyalty  and 
bravery  of  the  country.  "  Gentlemen,"  he  said, 
"had  inquired  what  would  be  gained  by  the  con- 
templated war?  Sir,  I  ask  in  turn,  what  will  you 
not  lose  by  yom*  mongrel  state  of  peace  with  Great 
Britain  ?  Do  you  expect  to  gain  anything  in  a  pecu- 
niary view!  No  sir.  Look  at  your  treasury  re- 
ports. Ton  now  receive  Qnly  $6,000,000  of  revenue 
annually,  and  this  amount  must  be  diminished  in 
the  same  proportion  as  the  rigorous  execution  of  the 
orders  in  council  shall  increase.  Before  these  orders 
existed  you  received  sixteen  millions^  He  declared 
that  war  wac-  inevitable  unless  we  tamely  sacrificed 
our  own  interests,  rights  and  honor.  In  answering 
the  objection  that  we  ought  only  to  go  to  war  when 
we  were  invaded,  he  exclaimed  in  thrilling  tones, 
while  the  house  gazed  in  breathless  silence  on  his 
excited  features,  "  ITow  much  better  than  invasion  is 
the  blocking  of  i/i  ur  veryj)orts  and  harbor Sy  insulting 
your  towns,  plundering  your  merchants  and  scouring 
your  coasts?  Jf  your  folds  are  surrounded^  are  they 
in  a  better  condition  than  if  invaded  f  When  the 
murderer  is  at  your  door  will  you  meanly  skulk  to 
your  cells  f  or  will  you  boldly  oppose  him  at  his  en- 
trance f    ' 

Every  part  of  his  speech  told  with  tremendous 
efiect.  Many  of  the  members  opposed  the  bill, 
which  continued  the  subject  of  debate  for  several 


1 11 


48 


SECOND  WAR  WITH   KNOLAND. 


days.  Mr.  "Williams  of  South  Carolina,  defended 
it  in  a  fearless  speech.  In  reply  to  a  remark  made 
by  one  of  the  members,  that  it  was  unjust  to  go  to 
war  with  England,  as  she  was  fighting  for  her  ex- 
istence, he  exclaimed  in  a  loud  sonorous  voice  that 
pealed  through  the  chamber,  "  If  Jier  existence,  sir, 
depends  upon  our  destruction,  then  I  say  down  let  her 
go.  She  is  contending  for  the  liberties  of  the  world 
too,  it  seems.  I  would  as  soon  have  expected  to  hear 
that  the  devil  had  espoused  the  cause  of  Christianity. 
Sir,  we  may  trace  her  progress  for  years  through 
blood.  Did  she  raise  the  standard  oi liberty  in  India  ? 
"Was  it  for  liberty  she  offered  up  so  many  human 
hecatombs  on  the  plains  of  Hindostan  ?  "Was  it  to 
plant  the  standard  of  liberty  in  this  country  that  she 
immolated  even  infant  innocence  during  the  war  of 
the  Revolution  ?  Is  it  to  extend  or  secure  the  bless- 
ings of  freedom  to  us  that  the  fireside  and  the  cra- 
dle are  exposed  to  savage  incursions  in  the  west  at 
this  time  ?'*  This  part  of  his  speech  created  a  marked 
sensation. 

The  bill  finally  passed  by  44  to  34.*  The  winter 
passed  in  exciting  debates,  both  in  Congress  and  in 
the  State  Legislatures,  while  every  hamlet  in  the  laud 
was  agitated  with  the  notes  of  hostile  preparations. 
In  the  midst  of  this  excitement,  the  country  was 

*  Vide  Report  of  proceedings  in  the  +1"  j  House  of  Representa- 
tives, Dec.  1811. 


JOHN   ITENUY. 


40 


March  0. 


Btartled  by  tlio  transmisHion  of  documents  to 
Congress  showing  that  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Henry  had  been  sent  by  tlie  Governor  of  Canada  to 
sound  the  disaffected  New  England  States  and  en- 
deavor to  form  some  connection  witli  the  leading  fed- 
eralists.* 

*  This  adventurer  after  staying  some  months  in  Boston,  in  con- 
Btant  communication  with  the  Secretary  of  Sir  James  Craig, 
Oovornor  of  Canada,  to  wlioni  ho  UMH(!rte(l  that  MassachnHotts,  in 
case  of  war,  would  separate  from  the  Union  aiul  ally  herself,  prob- 
ably, with  England,  visited  the  latter  country  to  obtain  remu- 
neration for  his  services.  The  Homo  Government,  however,  sent 
him  back  to  Sir  James  Craig  as  V)etter  able  to  appreciate  the 
value  of  his  labors.  Indignant  at  this  neglectful  treatment,  he 
rotunied  to  Boston  and  obtained  a  letter  of  introduction  from 
(Jovernor  Gerry  to  Madison,  to  whom  he  offered  to  divulge  the 
whole  conspiracy,  of  which  he  had  been  the  head  and  soul,  for  a 
certain  sum  of  money.  Madison  gave  him  fif50,000,  and  the 
swindler  embarked  for  France.  There  is  but  little  doubt  that 
Henry  made  a  fool  of  the  Governor  of  Canada,  and  completely 
overreached  the  President.  The  publication  of  the  correspond- 
ence, however,  increased  the  hatred  both  against  the  federalists 
and  the  English  nation. 

lie  was  an  Irish  adventurer  of  commanding  person  and  most 
engaging  address.  At  one  time  he  was  editor  of  a  paper  and 
afterwards  wine  dealer  in  Philadelphia.  In  1798  he  was  ap- 
pointed captain  in  the'  army,  and  stationed  at  Fort  Adams  in  New- 
port. Thence  he  was  transferred  to  Boston  v/liere  he  mingled  freely 
in  the  best  society  of  the  city.  Becoming  tired  of  a  military  life,  he 
bought  land  in  Vermont,  and  settled  down  as  a  farmer.  Finding 
agricultural  pursuits  unsuited  to  his  taste,  he  removed  to  Montreal 
and  studied  law  for  several  years.  Being  an  aspiring  man  he 
made  strenuous  efforts  to  obtain  the  office  of  Attorney  General. 
Indignant  at  his  failure,  he  turned  his  attention  to  politics,  in  which 
he  was  more  successful,  for  in  a  few  months  he  acquired  the  snug 
little  sum  of  $'r)0,000,  paid  over  to  him  out  of  the  public  treas-. 

a 


n- 


-n^- 


m   '■■■  '  ' 


50 


SECOND   WAR   WITH  ENGLAND. 


In  the  mean  time,  Jonathan  Russell,  of  Ehodo 

Apr.  8. 

Island,  who  had  been  appointed  charge  W  af- 
faires to  the  English  Court  on  the  return  of  Mr.  Pinck- 
ney,  wrote  home  that  there  was  no  prospect  that  the 
British  government  would  revoke  its  orders  in  coun- 
cil; and  the  President,  therefore,  on  the  first  of 
April,  recommended  an  embargo  to  be  laid  on  all 
vessels  in  port,  or  which  should  arrive,  for  the  term 
of  sixty  days.  The  message  was  received  with  closed 
doors,  and  the  house  felt  that  this  was  preparatory 
to  a  declaration  of  war.  When  Mr.  Porter,  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  recommendation  of  the  message, 
brouglit  in  a  bill  to  lay  this  embargo,  there  was 
great  sensation  in  the  house.  In  reply  to  the  inter- 
rogation, whether  this  was  a  peace  measure  or  pre- 
paratory to  war,  Mr.  Grundy,  one  of  the  committee, 
arose  and  said,  "  it  is  a  war  measure,  and  it  is  meant 
that  it  shall  lead  directly  to  it."  Mr.  Stow,  of  New 
York,  said,  "  if  it  was  a  precursor  to  war,  there  were 
some  very  serious  questions  to  be  asked.    What  is 

ury.  He  however  did  not  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  labors.  A  French- 
man styling  himself  Count,  and  who  had  accompanied  him  in  his 
last  voyage  from  England,  wheedled  him  into  the  purchase  of 
large  estates  held  by  the  former  in  France.  Eelieved  of  most  of 
his  money,  and  well  supplied  with  deeds,  etc.,  Henry  sailed  for 
France.  But  failing  to  find  the  locality  of  these  large  possessions 
of  which  he  had  become  the  purchaser,  he  was  again  compelled 
.'o  fall  back  on  his  genius  for  the  means  of  subsistence,  and 
became  a  distinguished  correspondent  of  a  London  Journal 


SPEECH   OF  RANDOLPH. 


51 


the  situation  of  our  fortresses  ?  What  is  the  situ- 
ation of  our  country  generally?"  Mr.  Clay  then  left 
the  chair,  and,  in  a  short  speech,  made  it  apparent 
that  after  what  had  passed,  to  shrink  from  this  be- 
cause it  was  a  war  measure,  would  cover  the  nation 
with  disgrace.  Randolph,  in  reply,  said,  that  he 
was  so  impressed  with  the  importance  of  the  subject, 
and  the  solemnity  of  the  occasion,  that  he  could  not 
keep  silent.  "  Sir,"  said  he,  "  we  are  now  in  con- 
clave— the  eyes  of  the  surrounding  world  are  not 
upon  us.  We  are  shut  up  here  from  the  light  of 
Heaven,  but  the  eyes  of  God  are  upon  us.  He 
knows  the  spirit  of  our  minds.  Shall  we  deliberate 
ou  this  subject  with  the  spirit  of  sobriety  and  can- 
dor, or  with  that  spirit  which  has  too  often  charac- 
terized our  discussions  upon  occasions  like  the  pre- 
sent ?  We  ought  to  realize  that  we  are  in  the  presence 
of  that  God  who  knows  our  thoughts  and  motives, 
and  to  whom  we  must  hereafter  render  an  account 
for  the  deeds  done  in  the  body."  He  spoke  at  some 
length  and  earnestly.  Clay  seeing  the  effect  of  his 
solemn  adjurations  on  some  members  of  the  house, 
left  the  speaker's  chair  and  replied,  that  the  gentle- 
man from  Virginia  need  not  have  reminded  them  in 
the  manner  he  had,  of  the  presence  of  that  Being 
who  watches  and  surrounds  us.  He  thought  that 
consciousness  should  awaken  different  sentiments 
from  those  which  had  been  uttered.    It  ought  to  in- 


'■'""If 


11 


52 


SECOND  WAB  WITH  ENGLAND. 


I,       :i|  "i^i^ 


^'I'llli 


'I!     lit! 


m 


spire  us  to  patriotism,  to  the  display  of  those  qualities 
which  ennobled  man.  God  always  was  with  the 
right,  and  extended  his  protection  to  those  who  per- 
formed their  duty  fearlessly,  scorning  the  conse- 
quences. The  discussion  of  the  bill  continued  through 
several  days,  and  exhibited,  in  a  striking  manner, 
the  different  effect  of  an  event  so  momentous  and 
fearful  as  war  on  different  characters.  In  one,  the 
overwhelming  responsibility  and  direful  results  of 
adopting  a  measure  leading  to  it,  shut  out  all  other 
considerations.  To  another,  its  chances  and  calami- 
ties were  a  matter  of  mere  calculation  to  be  taken 
and  met  by  any  nation  that  expected  to  exist ;  while 
many  hailed  it  with  the  delight  of  true  patriotism, 
feeling  that  the  country  had,  at  last,  risen  from  its 
humiliating  attitude.  Mr.  Bleecker  addressed  the 
house  more  like  a  clergyman  than  a  statesman,  warn- 
ing the  members  to  desist  from  the  perilous  course. 
On  the  other  hand,  Mr.  Mitchell,  from  New  York, 
declared,  that  the  country  was  not  to  "  be  frightened 
by  political  screech-owls  ;"  and,  alluding  to  the  pro- 
fligate character  of  the  Prince  Regent,  said,  "  he  did 
not  think  any  one  should  be  afraid  to  faca  a  nation,  at 
whose  head  stood  such  a  man — one  who  was  some 
years  since  expelled  a  jockey  club,  and  who  was  lately 
turned  out  of  doors  for  his  unworthy  conduct  to  his 
neighbor's  wife.    The  power  with  which  we  are  to 


:  '\ 


DEBATE  ON  SlMBABGO. 


5a 


Apr.  4* 


contend  is  not  so  terrific  and  almighty  as  is  ima- 
gined." 

The  bill  finally  passed,  69  to  36.  In  the  senate, 
IT  to  11.*  About  the  same  time  another  dis- 
patch was  received  from  Mr.  Eussell,  closing  with, 
"  I  no  longer  entertain  a  hope  that  we  can  honorably 
avoid  war." 

This  was  the  feeling  of  the  majority  of  the  nation. 
In  establishing  certain  fixed  limits  beyond  which  it 
would  not  go,  and  erecting  certain  barriers  over 
whicL'  Yould  not  allow  England  to  pass,  the 
Ameri:;.L,  Government  had  taken  a  position  from 
which  there  was  no  receding,  with  honor.  "While 
every  thing  was  thus  rapidly  tending  to  war,  and 
the  public  was  eager  with  expectation,  waiting  for 
tlie  next  movement  that  should  precipitate  it,  with 
all  its  horrors,  on  the  land,  a  despatch,  received  by 
the  British  Minister,  Mr.  Foster,!  from  Castlereagh, 
closed  at  once  every  avenue  towards  a  peaceful  ad- 
justment of  the  existing  difficulties.  Jn  it  he  de- 
clared "  that  the  decrees  of  Berlin  and  Milan  must 
not  be  repealed  singly  and  specially  in  relation  to 
the  United  States,  but  must  be  repealed,  also,  as  to  all 
other  neutral  nations,  and  that  in  no  less  extent  of  a 
repeal  of  the  French  decrees,  had  the  British  Gov- 


:,:f 


i  n 
i 


w 


P4' 


*  Vide  Journal  of  Secret  Session  of  Congress,  of  April,  1812. 
t  Mr.  Foster  had  succeeded  Mr.  Jaokson  as  British  Minister  at 
Washington,  in  the  summer  of  1811 . 


04 


SECOND  WAB  WITH  ENGLAND. 


eminent  ever  pledged  itself  to  repeal  the  orders  in 
council."  *  Tliis  was  saying,  that  unless  the  United 
States  instituted  herself  lawgiver  between  France 
and  all  other  European  powers,  and  through  her 
own  unaided  efforts  obtained  that  which  England, 
with  all  her  maritime  strength  could  not  enforce, 
the  latter  would  consider  herself  perfectly  justified  in 
withholding  from  us  our  national  rights.  This  awk- 
ward attempt  to  cover  up  under  the  mask  of  diplo- 
macy, duplicity  and  falsehood,  from  which  an  honor- 
able mind  would  have  shrunk,  was  perfectly  charac- 
teristic of  the  man  who  carried  tho  English  and 
Irish  Union  by  the  most  stupendous  frauds  and 
bribery  and  corruption  that  can  be  found  in  the  an- 
nals of  modern  civilization. 

I  know  the  quasi  denial  of  Mr.  Foster,  that  this 
construction  was  a  just  one,  yet  the  language  used 
can  convey  no  other.  To  place  it  beyond  dispute, 
Lord  Castlereagh,  as  late  as  May  22d,  1812,  declared 
as  British  Minister,  to  the  House  of  Commons,  that  as 
the  Berlin  and  Milan  decrees  "were  not  uncondi- 
tionally repealed,  as  required  by  his  Majesty's  decla- 
ration, but  only  repealed  so  far  as  they  regarded  Ame- 
rica, he  had  no  objection  to  state  it,  as  his  own 
opinion,  that  this  French  decree,  so  issued,  made  no 

*  Correspondence  between  the  Secretary  of  State  and  Mr.  Foster, 
British  Minister,  1812. 


DECLARA'nON  OF  WAR. 


66 


manner  of  alteration  in  the  question  of  the  orders  in 
council."  * 

It  is  rare  to  find  such  unscrupulous  conduct  on 
the  part  of  a  Ministry,  protected  by  so  miserable  a 
subterfuge.  It  could  not  be  supposed  that  the  t 
American  Government  would  be  deceived  for  a  mo- 
ment by  it,  but  the  belief  that  we  could  not  ^q  forced 
into  a  war,  rendered  ordinary  care  and  cunning  su- 
perfluous. Occupied  with  continental  affairs"  alone, 
England  looked  upon  the  American  Republic  as 
only  a  means  to  accomplish  her  ends  there.  The 
administration,  at  Washington,  was  thus  compelled  by 
the  arbitrary  conduct  of  its  enemy,  to  declare  war, 
or  forfeit  all  claim  to  the  respect  of  the  nations  of 
the  earth,  and  all  right  to  an  independent  existence. 

Under  these  circumstances,  Mr.  Madison  no  longer 
hesitated,  but  on  the  1st  day  of  June  transmitted  a 
warlike  message  to  Congress.  After  recapitulating, 
in  a  general  way,  the  history  of  past  negotiations 
and  past  injuries,  he  says:  "Whether  the  United 
States  shall  continue  passive  under  these  progressive 
usurpations  and  accumulating  wrongs,  or  opposing 
force  to  force  in  defence  of  their  natural  riglits  shall 
commit  a  just  cause  into  the  hands  of  the  Almighty 
Disposer  of  events,  avoiding  all  connections  which 
might  entangle  it  in  the  contests  or  views  of  other 
powers,  and  preserving  a  constant  readiness  to  con- 

*  Vide  Niles'  Register,  vol.  ii.  page  332. 


,  1  ;   1 1 


^ 


66^ 


SECOND   WAB  WITH   ENOLAIO). 


cur  in  an  honorable  reestablishment  of  peace  and 
friendship,  is  a  solemn  question,  which  the  constitu- 
tion wisely  confides  to  the  legislative  department  of 
the  Government.  In  recommending  it  to  their  early- 
deliberations,  I  am  happy  in  the  assurance  that  the 
decision  will  be  worthy  the  enlightened  and  patriotic 
councils  of  a  virtuous,  a  free  and  a  powerful  nation." 
This  message  was  referred  at  once  to  the  Committee 
on  Foreign  Eelations,  who  reported  ten  days  after  in 
favor  of  an  immediate  appeal  to  arms.  The  delib- 
erations on  this  report  were  conducted  with  closed 
doors. 

A  bill  drawn  up  by  Mr.  Pinckney,  and  offered  by 
Mr.  Calhoun,  declaring  war  to  exist  between  Great 
Britain  and  the  United  States,  was  rapidly  pushed 
through  the  House,  passing  by  a  vote  of  79  to  49. 
In  the  Senate,  being  met  not  only  by  the  opposition 
of  the  Federalists,  but  by  the  friends  of  De  Witt 
Clinton,  who  voted  with  them,  it  passed  by  a  ma- 
jority of  only  six.*    Congress,  after  passing  an  act, 

*  19  to  13.  Mr.  Clinton's  friends  professed  not  to  oppose  the 
war,  but  the  declaration  of  it  as  premature. 

The  members  from  New  Hampshire,  most  of  those  from  Massa- 
chusetts,,  then  including  Maine,  those  of  Connecticut,  Ehode 
Island,  New  Jersey,  and  Delaware,  with  several  from  New  York, 
some  from  Virginia  and  North  Carolina,  one  from  Pennsylvania, 
and  three  from  Maryland,  opposed  the  war.  The  members  from 
Vermont,  some  from  New  York,  all  but  one  from  Pennsylvania, 
most  from  Maryland,  Virginia,  and  North  Carolina,  all  from 
South  Carolina,  Georgia,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Ohio,  and  Loui- 
siana, supported  it. — Ingersolfs  History  of  the  War, 


A  DAY   OF  FASTING   AND   PRAYER. 


5T 


granting  letters  of  marque,  and  regulating  prizes 
and  prize  goods,  authorizing  the  issue  of  Treasury- 
notes  to  the  amount  of  $5,000,000,  and  placing  a 
hundred  per  cent,  additional  duties  on  imports,  ad- 
journed. In  accordance  with  a  resolution  of 
'Congress,  the  President  appointed  a  day  of 
public  humiliation  and  prayer,  in  view  of  the  con- 
flict in  which  the  nation  had  entered. 


Jaljr  8. 


I  .    , . 


\\§f'Uy 


m 


CHAPTEEII. 

Different  feelings  with  which  the' Declaration  of  War  was  received— State  of  the  par- 
ties at  the  commencement— Federalists  and  Democrats— Their  hostility— Ab- 
surd doctrines  of  the  Federalists— Hostility  of  New  England— Unprepared  state 
of  the  country- Culpable  neglect  of  the  government— Comparative  strength  of 
the  two  navies— Empty  state  of  the  Treasury— Inefficiency  of  the  Cabinet. 

The  proud  and  sensitive  American  of  to-day  can 
scarcely  comprehend  how,  under  the  heavy  and  pro- 
tracted provocations  which  I  have  traced  in  the  pre- 
ceding chapter,  the  country  could  have  been  kept 
for  so  long  a  time  from  open  hostilities.  It  would 
seem  that  the  most  arbitrary  exercise  of  executive 
and  legislative  power,  could  not  have  prevented  the 
people  from  rushing  spontaneously  to  arms,  and  de- 
manding their  rights  at  the  bayonet's  point.  He  is 
still  more  astounded,  when  he  remembers  that  this 
declaration  of  war  was  received  with  a  storm  of  in- 
dignation by  a  large  party  in  the  Union — that  all 
New  England,  with  the  exception  of  Vermont, 
anathematized  it.  The  pulpit  and  the  press  thun- 
dered forth  their  maledictions,  and  the  wrath  of 


HOSTILITY   OF   NKW    ENGLAIfD. 


69 


heaven  was  invoked  on  tho  heads  of  its  authors. 
The  flags  of  the  shipping  in  Boston  harbor  were 
hoisted  at  half-mast,  in  token  of  mourning,  and  the 
spot  rendered  immortal  by  the  patriots  of  the  revo- 
lution, became  the  rallying  place  of  tho  disaflfected, 
and  the  hope  of  the  enemy.  A  common  welfare 
and  a  common  country,  could  not  allay  this  hostility, 
which  strengthened  instead  of  diminishing  to  the 
last,  and  which  was  so  fanatical  and  blind  in  its 
violence,  that  it  exhibited  itself  in  the  most  mon- 
strous forms.  Our  defeats  were  gloried  in,  and  the 
triumphs  of  our  oppressors  hailed  as  an  evidence  that 
God  was  on  their  side,  while  downright  insubordi- 
nation, plots,  and  incipient  rebellion,  crippled  the 
efiV>rt8  of  an  already  weak  government,  and  swelled 
the  disasters  on  which  they  fattened. 

But  to  one  who  knows  to  what  a  height  the  spirit 
of  faction  will  reach,  nothing  in  all  this  unnatural 
hostility  will  seem  strange.  The  country,  at  this 
time,  was  divided  into  Federalists  and  Democrats, 
who  were  scarcely  less  vindictive  in  their  ani- 
mosities, than  the  Whigs  and  Tories  of  the  revo- 
lution. New  England  was  the  furnace  of  Federal- 
ism, and  Boston  the  focal  point  from  which  issued 
incessant  and  bitter  assaults  on  Jefferson's,  and  after- 
wards on  Madison's  administration.  Thus,  in  the 
most  trying  period  of  our  existence  since  the  adop- 
tion of  the  constitution,  the  country  was  divided  and 


1      *:, 


60 


SECOND  WAR   WITH   KNGLAND. 


:i|lil| 


torn  by  the  fiercest  spirit  of  faction  with  which  it 
has  ever  been  cursed. 

I  shall  not  enter  into  a  history  of  the  feuds  of  these 
two  parties.  The  principle  which  originally  divided 
them  was  plain.  One  was  for  a  consolidated  govern- 
mcntj  and  more  power  in  the  executive ;  the  other 
for  a  larger  distribution  of  power  among  the  sepa- 
rate states  of  the  confederacy ;  one  was  strongly 
conservative,  and  the  other  tending  to  radicalism  ; 
one  was  for  putting  the  strictest  construction  on  the 
constitution,  the  other  for  giving  it  the  greatest  pos- 
sible latitude.  These  two  parties  had  grown  up 
with  the  republic.  Their  germs  were  seen  in  the 
first  convention  that  met  after  the  achievement  of  our 
independence,  to  settle  the  form  of  government. 
On  one  point  all  were  agreed — that  our  mutual 
safety  and  welfare  depended  on  a  confederacy, 
but  a  difference  of  opinion  arose  on  the  amount 
of  power  the  separate  states  should  confer  on 
the  Federal  head.  The  constitution  which  was 
finally  adopted  was  not  stringent  enough  to  suit  the 
Federalists ;  but  as  a  compromise,  it  was  on  the 
whole  the  best  that  could  be  secured.  Besides,  by 
standing  firmly  with  the  general  government  in  all 
conflicts  with  the  separate  states,  and  with  the 
executive  when  brought  in  collision  with  Congress, 
and  by  the  gi'eat  patronage  of  the  President,  that 
power  which  they  preferred  to  see  directly  delegated 


VIEWS   OF  THE   FEDERALISTS. 


61 


might  practically  be  obtained.  This  party  num- 
bered among  its  leaders,  the  first  statesmen  of  the 
land. 

Nor  should  these  views  be  considered  strange,  nor 
the  patriotism  of  those  who  held  them  be  assailed. 
Some  of  the  noblest  men  who  offered  their  lives  and 
fortunes  to  the  cause  of  liberty,  looked  upon  the  Brit- 
ish Government  as  the  best  in  the  world,  and  strip- 
ped of  some  of  its  peculiarities,  and  purged  of  its 
corruptions,  would  be  the  best  that  human  ingenuity 
could  devise..  They  did  not  originally  war  against 
a  form  of  government,  but  to  be  free  from  its  op- 
pressive acts.  They  did  not  hate,  they  admired  the 
British  constitution,  and  took  up  arms  not  to  destroy 
it,  but  to  enjoy  the  rights  it  guaranteed  to  its  sub- 
jects. The  government,  in  the  principles  of  which 
they  had  been  educated,  was  the  most  prosperous 
and  the  strongest  on  the  globe,  and  common  wisdom 
dictated  that  all  its  good  points  should  be  retained 
and  incorporated  into  our  own.  Why  enter  on  an 
entirely  new  experiment  when  we  had  so  much  to 
build  upon  in  the  experience  of  the  mother  country  ? 
One  of  the  grand  features  of  that  government 
was  the  central  power  lodged  in  the  throne;  so 
ours  should  be  characterized  by  a  strong  executive. 
The  very  reason,  the  force  of  which  was  felt  by 
all,  and  that  made  a  confederacy  indispensable, 
viz.,  that  a  number  of  independent  states,    sepa- 


N 


62 


8ECX)ND  WAR  WrCH  ENGLAND. 


If" 


IBiiUlll 


rated  by  only  imaginary  linos,  would,  inevitably, 
lead  to  frequent  collisions  and  final  civil  war, 
operated  they  thought  with  equal  force  against  a 
loose  confederacy.  The  same  results  would  follow. 
The  wisdom  of  these  fears  is  seen  at  the  present  day, 
in  the  separate  power  demanded  by  some  of  the 
states,  and  alas  was  soon  exhibited  by  the  Federalists 
themselves  in  the  spirit  of  disobedience  they  instilled 
into  the  people  against  the  general  government. 

The  Democrats,  on  the  other  hand,  saw  in  all  this 
a  decided  leaning  towards  a  monarchy,  and  after- 
wards boldly  accused  their  adversaries  of  conspiring 
to  erect  a  throne  in  the  midst  of  this  republic. 
They  were  taunted  with  sycophancy  to  England,  and 
a  craving  after  English  distinctions  and  aristocratic 
preeminence.  The  jxrinciples  on  which  the  two  par- 
ties rested  had  their  birth  in  true  patriotism,  and 
their  effect  on  the  character  of  the  Constitution  wus, 
doubtless,  healthful.  Nor  was  there  anything  in 
their  nature  adapted  to  awaken  such  vindictive  hate. 
But  like  a  strife  between  two  individuals,  the 
origin  of  which  is  soon  lost  sight  of  in  the  passion 
engendered  by  the  conflict,  so  these  two  factions,  in 
the  heat  of  party  rancor,  forgot  in  the  main  the 
theories  on  which  they  split.  In  the  proposition  of 
every  measure  by  either  party  for  the  welfare  of  the 
state,  some  secret  plot  was  supposed  to  be  con- 
cealed. 


m 


THE  DEMOCRATS  AND  FRANCE. 


68 


The  embarrassments  in  which  this  fierce  hostile 
spirit  placed  the  administration,  rendering  it  timid 
and  cautious,  was  increased  by  the  form  it  took. 
The  levelling  and  radical  notions  of  the  French  revo- 
lution, followed  as  they  were  by  such  atrocities, 
disgusted  the  federalists,  while  the  democrat  ,  thmigh 
they  denounced  the  violence,  sympathized  with  the 
people,  and  saw  in  the  commotion  the  working  of 
their  own  principles  amid  the  oppressed  masses  of 
France.  They  not  only  loved  France,  as  their  old 
ally,  but  they  sympathized  with  her  in  her  efforts  io 
hurl  back  the  banded  oppressors  who  sought  to  re- 
establish a  hated  throne  in  her  midst.  So  while  the 
former  party  stood  charged  with  hating  republics 
and  wishing  the  domination  of  England,  the  latter 
was  accused  of  seeking  an  alliance  with  the  usurper 
Napoleon. 

Many  of  the  reasons  given  by  the  Federalists  for 
their  opposition,  furnish  another  exhibii-"o.i  of  the 
blinding  power  of  party  spirit.  As  to  the  simple 
question  between  England  and  America,  it  would 
Beera  that  no  sane  man  could  doubt,  that  sufficient 
provocation  had  been  given  to  justify  us  in  a  resort 
to  arms.  The  impressment  of  six  or  seven  thou- 
sand seamen,  most  of  them  American  citizens,  the 
destruction  of  nearly  a  thousand  merchantmen,  and 
tlie  insults  every  where  heaped  upon  our  flag,  were 
wrongs  which  could  not  be  justified.    They  there- 


.■ifi 


64 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


m^ 


fore  endeavored  to  cover  them  up,  by  saying  that 
the  Democrats  were  assisting  Bonaparte,  whom  they 
regarded  as  a  monster  in  human  form,  and  whose  suc- 
cess would  be  the  downfall  of  all  liberty.  The  wrongs 
we  suffered  were  thus  lost  sight  of,  in  the  greater 
wrong  of  crippling  England  in  her  desperate  strug- 
gle with  this  modern  Attila.  Rather  than  endanger 
the  success  of  that  conflict,  they  would  suffer  for  a 
time  from  the  effect  of  her  odious  measures.  They 
felt  that  England,  in  her  conduct,  was  not  governed 
by  hostile  feelings  towards  this  country — that  the 
evils  she  inflicted  on  us,  were  only  incidental  to  the 
war  she  was  waging  against  a  tyrant.  Placed  in 
imminent  peril,  as  the  champion  of  freedom,  she 
was  compelled  to  resort  to  extraordinary  measures, 
which  though  they  injured  us,  were  intended  only 
to  crush  a  common  enemy.  Hence  the  absurd  in- 
terrogatory so  incessantly  urged  by  wise  statesmen : 
"  Why  do  you  not  declare  war  against  France  as 
well  as  England  f — as  if  the  neglect  to  protect  the 
interests  and  honor  of  the  country  in  one  quarter, 
rendered  it  obligatory  on  the  government  to  neglect 
them  in  all  quarters.  The  law  which  would  redress 
one  wrong,  is  none  the  less  right,  because  he  who 
administers  it  refuses  to  apply  it  to  a  second  wrong. 
The  injustice  is  in  the  person,  not  in  the  deed.  Be- 
sides, when  a  nation  is  insulted  and  outraged  by  two 
powers,  it  has  a  perfect  right  to  choose  which  it  will 


INCONSISTENCY   OF   THE   FEDERALISTS. 


05 


first  assault  and  chastise.  And  yet  the  false  doc- 
trine was  constantly  promulgated,  that  we  had  no 
right  to  declare  war  with  England,  without  includ- 
ing France,  hecause  she  was  equally  criminal.  In 
other  words,  the  nation  was  bound  to  bear  quietly 
the  evils  under  which  it  groaned,  or  embrace  in  the 
contest,  France,  which  stood  ready  to  do  us  justice 
the  moment  that  England  would. 

It  seems  incredible  that  so  absurd  a  dogma  was 
soberly  defended  by  clear-headed  statesmen.  Strictly 
applied,  it  would  require  a  nation,  for  the  sake  of 
consistency,  to  submit  to  wrongs  that  degrade  and 
ruin  her,  or  enter  on  a  war  equally  ruinous,  from 
its  magnitude,  when  there  was  a  safe  mode  of  pro- 
cedure. Besides,  all  the  circumstances  pointed  out 
England  as  our  antagonist.  She  harassed  our  fron- 
tiers— had  taken  the  first  step  against  our  commerce, 
and  impressed  our  seamen.  France  was  guilty  only 
of  violating  the  laws  of  neutrality,  while  she  always 
stood  pledged  to  recede  from  her  position,  if  England 
would  do  the  same,  and  finally  did  recede,  leaving 
no  cause  for  war.  The  seizures  under  the  Rambouil- 
let  decree,  were  matters  for  negotiation  before  a 
declaration  of  war  could  be  justified. 

As  Jefferson  was  the  head  of  the  Democratic 'party, 
the  Federalists  bent  all  their  energies  against  his  ad- 
ministration, and  on  his  retirement  transferred  their 
hostility  to  that  of  Madison. 


66 


SECOND   WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


But  the  Federalists  were  not  all  opposed  to  the 
war.  The  elder  Adams,  the  noblest  chief  of  Feder- 
alism, was  too  clear-headed  and  high-minded  a  states- 
man to  let  party  spirit  come  between  him  and  his 
country's  good,  and  he  firmly  advocated  it,  which 
brought  down  on  him  the  condemnation  of  many  of 
his  friends.  Said  he — "  It  is  utterly  incomprehensi- 
ble to  me  that  a  rational,  social,  or  moral  creature 
can  say  the  war  is  unjust;  how  it  can  be  said  to  be 
unnecessary  is  very  mysterious.  I  have  thought  it 
both  just  and  necessary  for  five  or  six  years."  His 
son,  John  Quincy,  deserted  the  party  to  uphold  the 
war.  On  the  other  hand,  many  friends  of  the  ad- 
ministration and  several  members  of  the  cabinet 
were  wholly  opposed  to  it.  There  seemed  to  be  an 
awe  of  England  oppressing  our  older  statesmen  that 
rendered  them  insensible  to  insult,  and  willing  to 
see  the  country  the  scorn  and  contempt  of  the 
world,  for  its  base  submission  under  the  unparalleled 
indignities  heaped  upon  it,  rather  than  risk  a  conflict 
with  that  s'  rong  power.  Many  of  the  merchants, 
also,  who  saw  that  their  own  ruin  would  inevitably 
follow  hostilities,  were  averse  to  it — indeed,  the  learn- 
ing and  intelligence  of  the  land  was  against  it — but 
the  people  of  the  South  and  West,  between  whom 
and  their  country's  honor  and  rights  selfish  inte- 
rests and  bitter  party  hate  did  not  come,  nobly  sus- 
tained it. 


SrATii;    OP   THE  TBEASURT. 


67 


The  gloomy  prospect  with  which  a  nation  always 
enters  on  an  unequal  war,  was  in  our  case  saddened 
by  these  divided  feelings  of  the  people,  and  by  the 
open  animosity  of  several  of  the  States.  In  order 
to  paralyze  us  still  more,  and  render  our  complete 
humiliation  certain,  provided  England  would  strike 
a  bold  and  decided  blow,  no  preparation  had  been 
made  for  the  struggle.  Although  we  had  been  for 
many  years  on  the  verge  of  war,  we  had  done  com- 
paratively nothing  to  meet  its  exigences,  but  stood 
and  stupidly  gazed  into  its  fearful  abyss. 

The  income  from  the  customs,  in  1811,  was 
$13,000,000.  This,  of  course,  the  Government  knew 
would  decrease  in  time  of  war,  as  it  did,  to  $9,500,000. 
Our  debt  at  this  period  was  $45,000,000.  Yet  a 
loan  of  $11,000,000,  five  millions  of  Treasury  Notes, 
and  the  revenue  from  the  imposts,  which  were 
doubled,  was  all  the  money  furnished  to  carry  on  a 
war,  which  was  to  cost  over  thirty  millions  a 
year.  Congress,  however,  did,  as  a  last  act  of  wis- 
dom, appropriate  $100,000  to  the  support,  ex- 
pense, exchange,  &c.,  of  prisoners  of  war.  The 
utter  blindness  which  had  fallen  on  the  Government 
was  exhibited  more  fully  in  its  neglect  of  the  I*Tavy. 
Under  the  "  peace  establishment"  of  1801,  our  navy 
had  been  reduced,  and  from  that  time  to  1812,  "  a  pe- 
riod of  eleven  eventful  years,  during  which  the 
nation  was  scarcely  a  day  without  suffering  a  viola- 


i 


>    i  ; 


Til 

I 

! 

J 


M: 


I     : 


,      ). 


i:-  ■,! 


68 


SECOND  WAR  WITH   ENGLAND. 


SilWlllllI 


.  tion  of  its  neutral  rights,  not  a  single  frigate  had 
been  added  to  the  navy."  Gun-boats  had  been  built 
for  the  protectio'i  of  our  harbors,  and  the  marine 
corps  increased  by  seven  hundred  men,  and  $200,000 
per  annum  was  appropriated  to  rebuild  three  frigates 
that  had  been  suffered  to  decay.  Beyond  this, 
nothing  was  done,  and  with  but  nine  frigates 
and  a  few  other  cruising  vessels  of  less  rate,  while 
seven  thousand  of  our  merchant  ships  were  scattered 
over  the  ocean  claiming  our  protection,  we  plunged 
into  a  war  with  a  nation  that  had  a  hundred  ships 
of  the  line  in  commission,  and  more  than  a  thou- 
sand vessels  of  war  which  bore  her  flag  of  defiance 
over  the  deep. 

Superadded  to  all,  the  President,  commander-in- 
chief  of  the  army,  was  utterly  ignorant  of  war,  and 
by  nature  and  in  principle  wholly  repugnant  to  it. 
Conscious  of  his  high  and  responsible  position,  he 
resolved  to  press  it  with  vigor.  But  he  was  unfortu- 
nate in  his  Cabinet.  Mr.  Monroe,  Secretary  of 
State,  had  seen  a  little  military  service,  but  only  in  a 
subordinate  capacity.  Mr.  Gallatin,  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury,  first  opposed  the  declaration  of  war, 
and  afterwards  insisted  that  the  only  hope  of  the 
country  lay  in  a  speedy  peace.  Hamilton,  Secre- 
tary of  the  Navy,  and  Eustis,  Secretary  of  War, 
were  both  ignorant  of  the  duties  of  their  respective 
departments.      Pinckney, ,  the    Attorney-General, 


VIEWS    OF   THE   CAIJINET. 


09 


shook  his  head  at  our  prospects,  while  Gideon  Gran- 
ger, Postmaster-General,*  openly  declared  that  the 
war  could  not  but  end  in  failure,  while  Madison 
conducted  its  operations.  To  complete  the  climax, 
a  General  wholly  unfit  for  his  position,  was  to  open 
the  campaign.  At  this  critical  juncture,  too,  we  had 
scarcely  any  representatives  abroad  to  enlist  sympa- 
thy with  us  in  our  struggle.  Mr.  Adams  had  been 
sent  to  Eussia,  and  Joel  Barlow  was  our  Minister  to 
France.  The  latter,  however,  died  in  Poland  a  few 
months  after  he  received  the  news  of  our  declaration 
of  war,  leaving  us  with  scarcely  a  representative  in 
Europe. 

It  is  not  a  matter  of  surprise  that  such  a  com- 
mencement to  the  war  was  disastrous ;  the  wonder 
is,  that  five,  instead  of  two  years  of  defeat,  were  not 
meted  out  to  us,  as  a  just  punishment  for  such  stu- 
pidity and  neglect.  Nothing  but  the  momentous 
events  transpiring  in  Europe,  distracting  the  atten- 
tion of  England,  and  rendering  the  presence  of  her 
armies  necessary  at  home,  prevented  her  from  strik- 
ing us  a  blow,  from  which  it  would  have  taken  years 
to  recover.  May  our  Government  never  be  left  to 
try  such  an  experiment  again  I 

^  The  Postmaster-General  was  not  at  that  time  a  member  of  the 
Cabinet. 


\  J 


-jf  jjtA 


CHAPTER  m. 

Plan  of  the  Campaign— General  Hull  sent  to  Detroit -British  officers  first  receive 
news  of  the  declaration  of  war— Capture  of  Hull's  baggage,  etc. — Enters  Canada 
and  issues  a  proclamation,  and  sends  out  detachments — Colonels  McArthur  and 
Cass  advance  on  Maiden — Hull  refuses  to  sustain  them — Kecrosses  to  Detroit- 
Van  Home's  deAiat— Colonel  Miller  defeats  the  enemy,  and  opens  Hull's  commu« 
nications— Strange  conduct  of  Hull— Advance  of  the  British— Surrender  of  Do- 
troit— Indignation  of  the  officers— lieview  ot  the  Campaign— Bising  of  the  people 
•^Harrison  talies  command— Advance  of  the  army. 

In  determining  the  course  to  be  pursued  in  carry- 
ing on  hostilities  the  administration  selected  Canada 
as  the  only  field  of  operations  promising  any  success. 
The  navy  was  to  be  shut  up  in  port,  leaving  our 
seven  thousand  merchantmen  to  slip  through  the 
hands  of  British  cruisers,  and  reach  home  as  they 
best  could.  It  was  to  be  a  war  on  land  and  not  on 
the  sea,  and  the  conquest  of  Canada  would  undoubt- 
edly be  the  result  of  the  first  campaign.  General 
Dearborn,  who  hud  served  in  the  revolution,  was 
appointed  commander-in-chief  of  the  northern  forces, 
and  soon  repaired  to  Plattsburgh,  while  General 


PLAN   OF  THE   CAilPAION. 


71 


Van  Eensnlaer,  of  the  New  York  militia,  and  Gene- 
ral Smith  were  stationed  on  the  Niagara  frontier. 

In  anticipation  of  the  war,  General  Hull,  Governor 
of  Michigan,  had  been  ordered  to  occupy  his  terri- 
tory with  an  army  of  two  thousand  men,  for  the 
purpose  of  defending  the  north-western  frontier 
from  the  Indians,  and  in  Kiase  of  war  to  obtain 
the  command  of  Lake  Erie,  and  thus  be  able  to 
cooperate  with  Dearborn  and  Yan  Eensalaer  in  the 
invasion  of  Canada.  The  command  naturally  de- 
scended on  him  as  Governor  of  Michigan.  Having, 
also,  been  an  officer  of  merit  under  Washington,  the 
appointment  was  considered  a  very  judicious  one. 

With  part  of  the  first  regiments  of  United  States 
infantry,  and  three  companies  of  the  first  regiment 
of  artillery,  the  balance  made  up  of  Ohio  volunteers 
and  Michigan  militia,  and  one  company  of  rangers, 
he  left  Dayton,  in  Ohio,  the  first  of  June,  just 
eighteen  days  before  the  declaration  of  war.  On 
the  tenth,  he  was  joined  at  Urbana  by  Colonel  Mil- 
ler, with  the  fourth  regiment  of  infantry,  composed 
of  three  hundred  men.  Here  the  little  army  entered 
the  untrodden  wilderness,  and  slowly  cut  its  way 
through  the  primeval  forest,  two  hundred  miles  in 
extent,  to  Detroit.  It  reached  Maumee  the  latter 
part  of  June,  where,  on  the  second  of  July,  Hull  re- 
ceived the  news  of  the  declaration  of  war.  The  let- 
ter of  the  Secretary  of  War  had  been  fourteen  days 


i  r 


72 


SKCOND   WAR   WITH    KNGLAND. 


reaching  liim.  Tlie  British  officer,  at  Maiden,  had 
been  officially  notiiied  of  it  two  days  hfore.  "  On 
this  occasion,  the  British  were  better  served.  Prevost 
received  notice  of  it,  on  the  24th  of  June,  at  Que- 
bec. Brock  on  the  26th,  at  Newark.  St.  George 
on  the  30tli,  at  Maiden ;  and  Roberts  on  the  8th  of 
July,  at  St.  Joseph's.  But,  a  fact  still  ^lore  extra- 
ordinary than  the  celerity  of  these  transmissions,  is, 
that  the  information  thus  rapidly  forwarded  to  the 
British  commanders,  at  Maiden  and  St.  Joseph,  was 
received  under  envelopes,  franked  by  the  Secretary 
of  the  American  Treasury."*  But,  if  the  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury  had  been  the  victim  of  a  shrewd 
trick,  the  Secretary  of  War  had  commenced  his  career 
by  a  most  egregious  blunder.  On  the  day  of  the 
declaration  of  war,  he  wrote  two  letters  to  General 
Hull,  one  announcing  the  fact,  and  the  other  making 
no  mention  of  it.  The  latter  despatched  by  a  special 
messenger,  reached  the  General  on  the  24th  of  June. 
The  former  being  intrusted  to  the  public  mail  as  far 
as  Cleveland,  thence  to  be  forwarded  as  it  best  could, 
did  not  arrive  at  head  quarters  till  the  2nd  of  July, 
or  two  days  after  the  news  which  it  contained  had 
been  received  by  the  British  officer  at  Malden.f  By 
this  unpardonable  carelessness  of  the  Secretary  of 
"War,  General  Hull  not  only  lost  all  the  advantage 

*  Vide  Armstrong's  Notices  of  the  War  of  1812. 

t  Vide  Hull's  Memoirs,  and  Armstrong's  Notices  of  the  War. 


LOSS   OF   HULL  8   STORES,   ETC. 


78 


to  be  derived  from  having  the  knowledge  of  the 
declaration  of  hosti!  ities  six  days  before  the  enemy, 
but  he  had  to  suffer  from  the  preparations  which 
this  previous  information  gave  the  latter  time  to  make. 

The  first  disaster  that  resulted  from  this  culpa- 
bility of  the  Secretary  of  War,  was  the  loss  of  Gene- 
ral Iluirs  baggage,  "hospital  stores,  intrenching 
tools,  and  sixty  men,"  together  with  the  instructions 
of  the  government,  and  the  returns  of  the  army. 
Having  received  a  letter  from  the  Secretary  of  War, 
dated  as  late  as  the  18th  of  June,  in  which  he  was 
urged  to  mai'ch  with  all  possible  despatch  to  De- 
troit, and  containing  no  announcement  of  a  rupture, 
he  naturally  supposed  that  the  two  governments 
were  still  at  peace,  and  so  to  carry  out  the  instruc- 
tions of  the  secretary,  and  expedite  matters,  he 
shipped  his  baggage,  stores,  &c.,  to  go  by  water  to 
Detroit,  while  ho  took  his  army  by  land.  But  the 
('ay  previous  the  British  commander,  at  Maiden, 
had  received  official  notice  of  the  declaration  of  war^ 
and  when  the  packet  containing  the  stores,  &c., 
attempted  to  pass  the  fort,  it  was  stopped  by  a 
boat  containing  a  British  officer  and  six  men,  and 
its  cargo  seized. 

This  first  advantage  gained  over  him  so  unexpect- 
edly, by  the  enemy,  had  a  most  depressing  effect  'on 
the  General.  Instead  of  rousing  him  to  greater  ex- 
ertion, it  filled  liim  with  doubt  and  uncertainty.  He 
4 


!'-i^ 


...  ( 


74 


BEOOND   WAR   WITH   ENGLAND. 


had  a  dozen  subordinates,  either  of  whom,  with  that 
army,  would  in  a  few  days  have  seized  Maiden,  and 
recovered  all  he  had  lost,  and  inflicted  a  heavy  blow 
on  the  enemy. 

At  length,  however,  he  seemed  to  awake  to  the 
propriety  of  doing  something  to  carry  out  the  objects 
of  the  campaign,  and  on  the  12th  crossed  the  De- 
troit River  and  marched  to  Sandwich,  only  eighteen 
miles  from  Maiden.  But  here,  with  an  unobstructed 
road  leading  to  the  enemy  before  him,  he  paused 
and  issued  a  proclamation  to  the  Canadians,  and 
sent  out  detachments  which  penetrated  sixty  miles 
into  the  province.  The  friendly  disposition  of  the 
inhabitants  was  apparent,  while  the  Indians  were 
overawed  into  a  neutral  position. 

Four  days  after  crossing  the  river.  General  Hull 
sent  Colonels  Cass  and  Miller,  with  a  detachment  of 
two  hundred  and  eighty  men,  towards  Maiden.  These 
gallant  officers  pushed  to  the  river  Canards,  within 
four  miles  of  the  fort,  and  driving  the  British  pickets 
who  held  the  bridge  from  their  position,  took  pos- 
session of  it,  and  immediately  dispatched  a  messen- 
ger to  General  Hull,  announcing  their  success. 
They  described  the  occupation  of  the  post  as  of  the 
utmost  importance  in  carrying  out  the  plan  of  the 
campaign,  and  begged  that  if  the  army  could  not  be 
moved  there,  that  they  might  be  allowed  to  hold  it 
themselves — the  General  sending  reinforcements  as 


•lynsMi' 


TIMIDITY    OF   HULL. 


7» 


occasion  demanded.  Instead  of  being  gratified  at 
this  advantage  gained  over  the  enemy,  General  Hull 
seemed  irritated,  condemned  the  attack  as  a  breach 
of  orders,  and  directed  the  immediate  return  of  the 
detachment.  These  brave  officers  persisting  in  their 
request,  he  gave  them  permission  to  retain  the  posi- 
tion, provided  they  were  willing  to  do  so  on  their 
own  responsibility,  and  without  any  aid  from  him. 

Til  is  he  knew  they  would  not  do.  Such  a  propo- 
sition, from  the  commanding  officer,  indicated  a 
weakness  of  judgment,  and  a  willingness  to  resort 
to  the  most  transparent  trickery  to  escape  responsi- 
bility, that  no  apology  can  excuse.  From  the  state- 
ments of  the  British  afterwards,  it  appeared  that 
the  approach  of  this  detachment  filled  the  garrison 
with  alarm ;  the  shipping  was  brought  up  to  the 
wharves,  and  the  loading  of  baggage  commenced, 
.preparatory  to  flight.  On  two  sides  the  fort  was  in 
a  dilapidated  state,  while  seven  hundred  men,  of 
whom  only  one  hundred  were  regular  troops,  consti- 
tuted the  entire  garrison.  From  the  panic  which 
the  approach  of  Cass  and  Miller  created,  there  is  no 
doubt  that  the  appearance  of  the  whole  army,  of 
two  thousand  men  before  the  place,  would  have 
been  followed  by  an  immediate  surrender.  One 
thing  is  certain,  if  General  Hull  supposed  that  a  gar- 
rison of  seven  hundred  men  behind  such  works, 
could  make  a  successful  defeace  against  nearly  three 


;fiJf 


76 


8E0OND  WAR   WITH   KNOLAND. 


m;'- 


i 


times  their  number,  ho  had  no  right  to  regard  his 
strong  position  at  Detroit,  when  assailed  by  only  an 
equal  force,  untenable.  Either  Maiden  could  have 
lieen  taken,  or  Detroit  was  impregnable.  The  troops 
felt  certain  of  success,  and  were  impatient  to  be  led  to 
the  attack,  but  he  pronounced  it  unsafe  to  advance 
without  heavy  artillery ;  besides,  he  wished  to  wait 
the  effect  of  his  proclamation  on  the  enemy.  Tlio 
Indians  and  Canadian  militia,  he  said,  had  begun  to 
desert,  and  in  a  short  time  the  force  at  Maiden  might 
be  "  materially  weakened."  Two  thousand  men 
sat  quietly  down  to  wait  for  this  miserable  garrison 
of  seven  hundred,  six  hundred  of  whom  were  Cana- 
dian militia  and  Indians,  to  dwindle  to  less  force,  be- 
fore they  dared  even  to  approach  within  shot.  Tlie 
army  was  kept  here  three  weeks,  till  two  twenty- 
four  pounders  and  three  howitzers  could  be  mounted 
on  wheels  strong  enough  to  carry  them,  and  yet  a 
few  weeks  after,  behind  better  works  than  those 
of  Maiden,  and  with  a  force  fully  equal  to  that  of 
his  adversary,  he  felt  authorized  to  surrender,  though 
the  largest  guns  brought  forward  to  break  down  his 
defences,  were  six  pounders. 

The  cannon  at  length,  being  mounted,  were  with  the 
ammunition  placed  on  floating  batteries,  ready  to 
move  on  Maiden,  when  the  order  to  march  was  coun- 
termanded, and  the  army,  instead  of  advancing 
against  the  enemy,  recrossed  the  river  to  Detroit, 


GKN.    HULLS    MEAHURI<». 


TT 


f 


over  which  it  had  passed  a  few  weeks  before  to  the, 
conquest  of  Canada.  General  Hull  had  issued  a 
proclamation,  sent  out  two  detachments,  mounted 
two  lieavy  cannon  and  three  howitzers,  and  then 
marched  back  again.  Such  were  tlie  astonishing 
results  accomplished  by  the  first  grand  army  of  in- 
vasion. '    .       . 

The  gathering  of  the  Indian  clans,  and  reinforce- 
ments pouring  into  the  British  garrison,  had  alarmed 
him.  Tlio  news  seemed  to  take  him  by  suprise,  as 
though  it  for  the  first  time  occurred  to  him  that  dur- 
ing these  three  or  four  weeks  in  which  he  remained 
idle,  the  enemy  might  possibly  be  active. 

The  surrender,  at  this  time,  of  Fort  Mackinaw, 
Bituated  on  the  island  of  the  same  name  in  the  straits 
between  Lakes  Iluron  and  Michigan,  was  a  severe 
blow  to  him,  for  it  opened  the  flood-gates  to  all  the 
Indians,  Canadians  and  British  in  the  north-west. 
Tills  fort  was  the  key  to  that  section  of  the  country, 
and  the  grand  depot  of  the  fur  companies.  By  its  posi- 
tion it  shielded  General  Hull  from  all  attack  in  that 
direction.  Lieutenant  Hanks  commanded  it,  with  a 
garrison  of  sixty  men.  As  soon  as  the  British  com- 
mander of  St.  Joseph's,  just  above  it,  received  news 
of  the  declaration  of  war,  he  took  with  him  some 
two  hundred  Canadians  and  British,  and  four  hun- 
dred Indians,  and  suddenly  appearing  before  the  fort 
demanded  its  surrender.    This  was  the  first  intima- 


■f'     I 


!! 


78 


SECOND  WAR   WITH  ENGLAND. 


it 


■■■liliii: 


!mm\ 


tion  to  Lieutenant  Hanks  of  the  commencement  of 
hostilities.  He  capitulated  without  offering  any 
resistance,  and  the  Indians  at  once  rallied  around 
the  British  standard.  Here  was  another  blunder,  a 
double  one.  In  the  first  place,  private  enterprise  had 
outstripped  the  action  of  Government.  The  British 
officer  at  St.  Joseph's,  though  more  remote  than 
Mackinaw,  received  the  declaration  of  war  nine 
days  before  it  reached  the  American  commander  at 
the  latter  place,  or  rather.  Lieutenant  Hanks  did  not 
receive  it  at  all,  either  from  the  Government  or 
General  Hull.  Colonel  Roberts,  of  St.  Joseph's, 
with  his  band  of  Canadians  and  Indians,  was  kind 
enough  to  convey  the  information. 

It  is  surprising  that  General  Hull,  after  his  expe- 
rience, did  not  at  once  provide  that  a  post  so  vital 
to  him,  should  not  become  the  victim  of  the  same 
criminal  negligence  which  had  paralyzed  his  efforts. 
Fifteen  days  intervened  between  his  receiving  the 
notification  of  war,  and  the  taking  of  Fort  Mackinaw, 
and  yet  no  messenger  from  him,  the  Governor  of  the 
Territory,  and  commander-in-chief  of  the  forces  in 
that  section,  reached  the  garrison.  Were  it  not  for 
the  calamitous  results  which  followed,  the  whole 
campaign  might  be  called  a  "  comedy  of  errors." 

Three  days  previous,  however,  to  the  retreat  of 
Hull  from  Canada,  he  committed  another  error  which 
increased  his  embarrassments.    Proctor,  who  had 


DEFEAT  OF  VAN  HOENE. 


79 


arrived  at  Maiden  witli  reinforcementa,  threw  a 
small  detachment  across  the  river  to  Brownstown,  to 
intercept  any  provisions  that  might  be  advancing 
from  Ohio  to  the  army.  Captain  Brush,  who  was 
on  the  way  with  the  mail,  flour  and  cattle,  was  thus 
stopped  at  the  Uiver  Raisin.  To  open  the  commu- 
nication and  bring  up  the  provisions,  Major  Yan 
Home  was  dispatched  with  two  hundred  volunteers 
and  militia.  But  the  detachment,  marching  without 
sufficient  caution,  was  led  into  ambush,  and  utterly 
defeated.  Only  about  one-half  returned  to  the  army. 
Both  Gen.  Hull  and  Major  Van  Home  were  to  blame 
in  this  affair — the  former  for  not  sending  a  larger  de- 
tachment, when  he  knew  the  enemy  must  be  on  the 
march,  while  at  the  same  time  he  was  ignorant  of 
his  force.  Tliis  error  is  the  more  culpable,  because 
he  did  not  expect  an  immediate  attack ;  for,  after 
the  detachment  was  despatched,  he  remained  qui- 
etly in  Canada,  and  then  crossed  at  his  leisure  to 
Detroit.  He  therefore  could,  without  danger,  have 
spared  a  larger  force,  and  should  have  done  so,  es- 
pecially when  the  want  of  provisions  was  one  of  the 
evils  he  would  be  called  upon  to  encounter.  On  the 
otlier  hand.  Major  Van  Home  should  have  heeded 
the  information  he  received,  that  the  enemy  were  in 
advance,  in  position,  and  not  allowed  his  little  army 
to  rush  into  an  ambuscade. 
General  Hull's  position  had  now  become  suffi- 


80 


SECOND   WAR  WITH   ENGLAND. 


11 


ciently  embarrassing.  "The  wliole  northern  hive 
was  in  motion."  Reinforcements  were  hastening  to 
the  support  of  Maiden ;  his  communications  on  the 
lake  were  cut  off  by  British  vessels,  while  the  defeat 
of  Yan  Home  announced  that  his  communications 
by  land  were  also  closed.  The  latter  he  knew  must 
be  opened  at  all  hazards,  and  Colonel  Miller  was 
dispatched  on  the  route  which  Yan  Home  had  taken 
with  four  hundred  men  to  clear  the  road  to  the  river 
Raisin.  Leaving  Detroit  on  the  8th  of  August,  he 
next  day  in  the  afternoon,  as  he  was  approaching 
Brownstown,  came  upon  the  enemy  covered  with  a 
breast  work  of  logs  and  branches  o^  trees,  and  pro- 
tected on  one  side  by  the  Detroit  river,  and  on  the 
other  by  swamps  and  thickets.  The  British  and  Ca- 
nadians were  commanded  by  Muir,  and  the  Indians 
by  Tecumseh.  Captain  Snelling  leading  the  advance 
guard  approached  to  within  half  musket  shot,  before 
he  discovered  the  enemy.  A  fierce  and  deadly  fire 
was  suddenly  opened  on  him,  which  he  sustained 
without  flinching,  till  Colonel  Miller  converting  his 
order  of  march  into  order  of  battle,  advanced  to  his 
support.  Seeingj  however,  how  destructive  the  fire 
of  the  enemy  was,  while  the  bullets  of  his  own  men 
buried  themselves  for  the  most  part  in  the  logs  of 
the  breastwork ;  perceiving,  also,  some  symptoms 
of  wavering.  Milk  ^'  determined  to  carry  the  works 
by  the  bayonet.    The  order  to  charge  was  received 


VICTORY   OF  MILLER. 


81 


with  loud  cheers^  and  the  next  moment  the  troops 
poured  fiercely  over  the  breastwork,  and  routing 
the  British  and  Canadians  pressed  swiftly  on  their 
retiring  footsteps.  Tecumseh,  however,  maintained 
his  post,  and  Yan  Home,  who  commanded  the  right 
flauk  of  the  American  line,  supposing  from  his  stub- 
born resistance  that  it  would  require  more  force  tlian 
he  possessed  to  dislodge  him,  sent  to  Colonel  Miller 
for  reinforcements.  The  latter  immediately  ordered 
a  halt,  and  with  a  reluctant  heart  turned  from  the 
fugitives  now  almost  within  his  grasp,  and  hastened 
to  the  relief  of  his  subordinate.  On  arriving  at  the 
breastwork,  he  found  the  Indian  chief  in  full  flight. 
He  then  started  again  in  pursuit,  but  arrived  in  view 
of  the  enemy  only  to  see  him  on  the  water  floating 
away  beyond  his  grasp. 

He,  however,  had  established  the  communication 
between  the  army  and  the  river  Kaisin,  and  dis- 
patched Captain  Snellingto  Detroit  with  the  account 
of  the  victory,  and  a  request  for  boats  to  remove  the 
wounded,  and  bring  provisions  for  the  living,  and 
reinforcements  to  su^jply  the  place  of  the  dead  and 
disabled.  General  Hull  immediately  sent  Colonel 
McArthur  with  a  hundred  men  and  boats,  but  with 
provisions  sufficient  only  for  a  single  meal.* 

Colonel  Miller  was  some  twenty  miles  from  the 
supplies,  but  not  deeming  it  prudent  with  the  slender 

*  Miller's  testimony  on  the  trial  of  Hull. 
4* 


'i'> 


82 


SECOND  WAR  WITH   ENGLAND. 


tr 


reinforcements  he  had  received,  and  the  still  scantier 
provisions,  to  proceed,  remained  on  the  battle  field, 
and  sent  another  messenger  declaring  that  the  com- 
munication was  open,  and  it  required  only  a  few 
more  men  and  a  supply  of  provisions,  to  keep  it  so. 
The  next  evening,  the  messenger  returned,  bringing 
instead  of  provisions  a  peremptory  order  to  return 
to  Detroit.    It  is  doubtful  whether  Colonel  Miller 
ought  not  to  have  advanced  without  waiting  for  fur- 
ther reinforcements,  and  formed  a  junction  with 
Captain  Brush,  who  had  an  abundance  of  provisions, 
and  a  detachment  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  men.    But, 
after  the  communications  were  established,  he  did 
not  probably  see  so  much  necessity  for  dispatch  as 
for  security.     But  General  Hull  ..eemed  to  be  labor- 
ing under  a  species  of  inpa^^it}^.    After  sending  forth 
two  detachments  to  open  hid  communications,  and 
finally  succeeding,  he  deliberately  closed  them  again, 
and  shut  from  his  army  all  those  provisions,  the 
want  of  which  he  a  few  days  after  gave  as  a  reason 
for  surrendering.   The  rapid  concentration  of  the  ene- 
my's forces,  in  front  of  him,  might  have  been  given  as 
a  sufficient  cause  for  suddenly  calling  in  all  his  troops 
to  defend  Detroit,,  had  he  not  two  days  after  sent 
Colonel  Mc Arthur,  accompanied  by  Cass,  with  a 
detachment  of  four  hundred  men,  to  obtain  by  a  back, 
circuitous  and  almost  wholly  unknown  route  through 


siiiiiSi 


APPROACH   OF   BROCK. 


83 


Aug.  7. . 


the  woods  that  which  Colonel  Miller  had  secured, 
and  then  been  compelled  to  relinquish. 

When  General  Hull  recrossed  the  river  to 
Detroit,  he  left  some  hundred  and  fifty,  conval- 
escents and  all,  "  to  hold  possession  of  that  part  of 
Canada,"  which  he  had  so  gallantly  won,  "to  defend 
the  post  to  the  last  extremity  against  musketry,  but 
if  overpowered  by  artillery  to  retreat."*  In  the 
mean  time,  General  Brock,  the  commander  of  the 
British  forces,  approached,  and  began  to  erect  a  bat- 
tery opposite  Detroit  to  protect  his  army,  and  cover 
it  in  crossing  the  river.  "Not  a  shot  was  fired  to  in- 
terrupt his  proceedings,  no  attempt  made  to  destroy 
his  shipping  which  had  arrived.  Daliba  offered 
"  to  clear  the  enemy  from  the  opposite  shores  from 
the  lower  batteries,"  to  which  General  Hull  replied, 
"I  will  make  an  agreement  with  the  enemy,  that  if 
they  will  not  fire  on  me  I  will  not  fire  on  them." 
Major  Jessup  asked  permission  to  cross  the  river  and 
spike  the  guns,  but  this  was  considered  a  too  despe- 
rate undertaking.  In  short,  every  project  that  was 
proposed  was  rejected,  and  the  twenty-four  pounders 
and  the  howitzers  slept  dumb  on  their  carriages,  in 
the  midst  of  these  hostile  preparations  of  the  enemy. 
At  length,  on  the  morning  of  the  15th,  a  messen- 
ger arrived  from  General  Brock  demanding  an  im- 
mediate surrender  of  the  town  and  fort.     To  this  sum- 

*  McAfee's  History. 


1 
i 


If 


84 


SECOND  WAB  WITH  ENGLAND. 


m 


■■j'Si''' 


mons  Hull  replied  in  a  decided  and  spirited  manner ; 
but  this  did  not  seem  to  daunt  the  British  commander. 
He  immediately  opened  his  fire  from  a  newly  erected 
battery,  which,  after  knocking  down  some  chimneys, 
and  disabling  a  few  soldiers,  finally  ceased  at  ten 
o'clock  in  the  evening.  The  next  morning  it  re-cora- 
menced,  and  under  cover  of  its  harmless  thunder  the 
British,  in  broad  day-light,  commeiiced  crossing  a 
river  more  than  three  thousand  feet  wide.  This  pre- 
sumptuous attempt  succeeded  without  the  loss  of  a 
man.  The  troops  then  formed  in  column  twelve 
deep,  and  marching  along  the  shore,  soon  emerged 
into  view,  about  five  hundred  yards  from  the  fort. 
The  opposing  forces  were  nearly  equal,  but  the 
position  of  the  Americans  gave  them  vastly  the 
advantage.  The  fort  proper  was  of  great  strength, 
surrounded  by  a  deep,  wide  ditch,  and  strongly  pal- 
isaded with  an  exterior  bat';ery  of  two  twenty-four 
pounders.  It  was  occupied  by  four  hundred  men, 
while  four  hundred  more  lay  behind  a  high  picket 
fence,  which  flanked  the  approach  to  it.  Three 
hundred  more  held  the  town  Against  this  formida- 
ble array,  General  Brock,  preceded  by  five  light 
pieces  of  artillery,  boldly  advanced.  He  did  not 
even  have  a  vanguard,  and  rode  alone  in  front  of  his 
column.  To  the  most  common  observer,  they  were 
marching  on  certain  and  swift  destruction.  The  mili- 
th  who  had  never  been  under  fire,  were  eager  for 


8UKRENDER   OF   HULL. 


85 


the  conflict,  so  confident  were  they  of  victory.  On 
swept  the  apparently  doomed  column  upon  which 
every  eye  was  sternly  bent,  while  every  heart  beat 
with  intense  anxiety  to  hear  the  command  to  fire. 
In  this  moment  of  thrilling  excitement,  a  white  flag 
was  lifted  above  the  works,  and  an  order  came  for  all 
the  troops  to  withdraw  from  the  outer  posts  and  stack 
their  arms.  Such  a  cry  of  indignation  as  followed, 
probably  never  before  assailed  the  ears  of  a  com- 
mander. Lieutenant  Anderson  in  a  paroxysm  of 
rage,  broke  his  sword  over  one  of  his  guns  and  burst 
into  tears.  The  shameful  deed  was  done,  and  so 
anxious  was  General  Hull  that  all  should  receive  the 
benefit  of  this  capitulation,  that  he  included  in  it 
Colonels  Mc Arthur  and  Cass,  and  their  detachment 
whom  he  had  sent  to  the  river  Raisin,  together  with 
that  entrusted  with  the  supplies. 

To  enhance  the  regret  and  shame  of  this  sudden 
surrender,  it  was  soon  discovered  that  Mc  Arthur 
and  Cass,  having  heard  the  cannonading  twenty-four 
hours  before,  had  returned,  and  at  the  moment  the 
white  flag  was  raised  were  only  a  mile  and  a  half  from 
the  fort,  and  advancing  so  as  to  take  the  enemy  in  rear. 
Tlie  result  of  a  defence  would  have  been  the  entire  de- 
struction of  the  British  army.  Ah !  what  a  different 
scene  was  occurring  on  this  same  day,  in  another  hem' 
isphere.  On  this  very  morning  Kapoleon  crossed 
the  Dnieper,   on  his  way  to  Moscow,  and  Murat 


i^ 


'  ;i 


n":  h 


mM^ 


86 


SECOND   WAR   WITH   ENOBAND. 


and  Ney,  at  the  head  of  eighteen  thousand  splendid 
cavalry,  fell  on  the  liussian  rear  guard,  only  six 
thousand  strong.  Yet  this  comparatively  small 
band,  composed  like  most  of  the  troops  under  Hull, 
of  new  levies,  never  thought  of  surrendering.  First 
dn  two  squares,  and  then  in  one  solid  square  they 
continued  their  retreat  all  day — sometimes  broken, 
yet  always  re-forming  and  presenting  the  same  fringe 
of  glittering  steel,  and  the  same  adamantine  front. 
Forty  times  were  the  apparently  resistless  squadrons 
hurled  upon  them,  yet  they  still  maintained  their 
firm  formation,  and  at  night  eflfected  a  junction 
with  the  main  army,  though  with  the  loss  of  more 
than  one-sixth  of  their  number.  It  was  to  be  left  to 
Scott  and  Brown  and  Miller  and  Jessup  and  Jack- 
son, to  show  that  Russian  serfs  were  not  braver 
troops  than  American  freemen. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  events  widely  different 
in  their  character,  and  presenting  still  wider  con- 
trast in  the  magnitude  and  grandeur  of  the  circum- 
stances that  attend  them,  are  in  their  remote  results 
alike,  both  in  character  and  in  their  effect  on  the 
destiny  of  the  world.  Thus,  six  days  after  our  decla- 
ration of  war,  Napoleon  crossed  the  Niemen,  on  his 
march  to  Moscow.  This  first  step  on  Russian  terri- 
tory was  the  signal  for  a  long  train  of  events  to  arise, 
which  in  the  end  should  dash  to  earth  the  colossal 
power  of  Napoleon,  while  our  movement  was  to 


REVIKW   OF   THE  CAMPAIGN. 


87 


break  the  spell  which  made  Great  Britain  mistress 
of  the  seas ;  and  two  nations,  one  an  unmixed  des- 
potism and  the  other  a  pure  republic,  from  that  mo- 
ment began  to  assume  a  prominence  they  never  be- 
fore held,  and  from  that  time  on,  have  been  the  only 
powers  which  have  rapidly  increased  in  resources  and 
strength,  till  each  threatens,  in  time,  to  swallow  up 
its  own  hemisphere. 

Much  has  been  written  of  this  campaign  of  Hull, 
and  in  the  controversy,  statistics  differ  as  widely  as 
opinions.  He  was  tried  by  Court  Martial,  of  which 
Martin  Van  Buren  was  Judge  Advocate,  acquitted 
of  treason,  but  found  guilty  of  cowardice  and  sen- 
tenced to  be  shot.  Being  pardoned  by  the  Presi- 
dent, his  life  was  saved,  but  he  went  forth  a  blighted 
and  ruined  man. 

On  many  points  there  is  roonj  for  a  diversity  of 
judgment,  but  one  thing  is  certain.  General  Hull 
was  unlit  for  the  station  to  which  he  was  assigned. 
He  had  been  a  gallant  subordinate  officer  in  the 
revolution,  but  a  man  may  be  a  good  major,  or  even 
colonel,  but  a  bad  commander-in-chief.  There  are 
many  officers  ■who  are  fit  only  to  act  under  orders, 
whom  personal  danger  never  agitates,  but  who  are 
unnerved  by  responsibility.  Let  the  latter  rest  on 
some  other  person  and  they  will  cheerfully  encounter 
the  peril.  Hull  may  have  been  one  of  these,  at  least 
it  seems  more  rational  to  attribute  a  portion  of  his 


88 


SECOND   WAR   WITH   ENGLAND. 


**iv 


conduct  to  some  mental  defect  rather  than  tc  cow- 
ardice. It  is  hard  to  affix  such  a  stain  on  a  man 
who  moved  beside  Washington  in  the  perilous  march 
on  Trenton — stood  Urmly  amid  the  hottest  fire  at 
Princeton — gallantly  led  his  men  to  the  charge  at 
Bemis'  Heights,  and  faced  without  flinching  the  fiery 
sleet  that  swept  the  column  pressing  up  the  rugged 
heights  of  Stony  Point.  Gray  hairs  do  not  make  a 
coward  of  such  a  man,  though  they  should  render 
him  imbecile. 

It  is  not  easy  at  this  remote  period  to  appreciate 
the  difficulties  of  the  position  in  which  Hull  eventu- 
ally found  himself.  At  first  he  refused  to  take  com- 
mand of  the  expedition,  but  being  urged  by  the 
government,  accepted,  though  with  the  express  un- 
derstanding that  in  case  of  hostii*  'cs,  he  was  to  be 
sustained  both  by  a  fleet  on  Lake  Erie,  and  an  army 
operating  on  the  northern  and  western  frontier  of 
New  York.  He  knew  that  the  conquest  of  Cana- 
dian territory  would  be  of  slight  importance,  if  the 
lake  and  river  communication  was  controlled  by  the 
enemy,  for  they  could  pass  their  troops  from  one 
point  to  another  with  great  rapidity,  cut  off  his  sup- 
plies and  reinforcements,  and  hem  him  in  till  a  force 
sufficient  to  overwhelm  him  was  concentrated. 

On  arriving  near  Maiden,  he  was  astounded  to 
hear  that  the  enemy  had  received  notice  of  the  war 
before    him,  and    hence    had  time  to  make  more 


KKVIKW   OF    HULLS    CAMPAION. 


89 


or  less  preparations.  The  second  blow  was  the  loss 
of  hospital  stores,  intreiichini!;  tools,  army  baggage, 
private  papers,  &c.  The  thin  I  came  in  the  fall  of 
Mackinaw,  thns  removing  the  only  barrier  that  kept 
hack  the  northern  hordes.  lie  know  the  enemy  had 
possession  of  the  water  commnnicatlon,  and  were 
therefore  able  to  threaten  his  retreat  earborn,  who 
ought  to  have  been  pressing  the  British  on  the  Niag- 
ara frontier,  and  thus  attracted  their  forces  from  Mai- 
den, had  entered  into  an  armistice  with  the  Governor 
of  Canada,  leaving  the  latter  at  full  liberty  to 
reinforce  the  troops  opposed  to  Hull,  a  privilege  of 
^vhich  he  was  not  slow  to  avail  himself.  There  was 
not  a  gleam  of  sunshine  in  the  whole  gloomy  prospect 
that  spread  out  before  the  American  commander, 
llis  own  army  diminishing,  while  that  of  his  adver- 
sary was  rapidly  increasing — behind  him  a  wilderness 
two  hundred  miles  in  extent,  his  situation  was  dis- 
heartening enough  to  make  a  strong  man  sad.  The 
diflficulties  in  which  he  found  himself  environed  must 
always  produce  one  of  two  eifects  on  every  man — 
either  rouse  him  to  ten-fold  diligence  and  effort  and 
daring,  or  sink  him  in  corresponding  inactivity  and 
despondency.  There  can  be  no  middle  state.  That  the 
latter  was  the  effect  produced  on  General  Hull,  there 
can  be  no  doubt.  He  proved  plainly  that  he  was 
not  one  of  those  whom  great  emergencies  develope 
into  an  extraordinary  character  worthy  to  command  * 


.^v^< 


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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


1.1 


1.25 


IAS  121    12.5 

Ui  Uii   12.2 
u   itt 


% 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)873-4503 


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SECOND  WAB  WITH  ENGLAND. 


km : 


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h:  &*■ 


and  worthy  to  be  obeyed.  The  very  first  misfortune 
unmanned  him,  and  from  that  hour  to  the  sad  close 
of  the  campaign,  when  he  acted  at  all  he  did  nothing 
but  heap  blunder  on  blunder.  His  mind  having 
once  got  into  a  morbid  state,  his  position  and  his  pros- 
pects appeared  to  his  diseased  imagination  ten  times 
more  desperate  than  they  really  were. 

With  the  failure  of  General  Dearborn  to  invade 
Canada  from  the  ITew  York  frontier,  and  more  es- 
pecially with  the  lakes  entirely  under  the  control 
of  the  enemy,  his  campaign,  according  to  all  human 
calculations,  must  prove  a  failure.  Detroit  must  fall, 
and  Michigan  be  given  up  to  the  enemy.  The  only 
chance  by  which  this  catastrophe  could  have  been 
prevented,  was  offered  by  General  Brock  when  he 
crossed  the  river  to  storm  Detroit.  If  Hull  had  pos- 
sessed a  spark  of  genius  or  military  knowledge,  he 
would  have  seen  in  this  rash  movement  of  his  enemy, 
the  avenue  opened  for  his  release,  and  the  sure  pre- 
cursor of  his  fortunes.  With  that  broad  river  cut- 
ting off  its  retreat,  the  British  army  would  have 
been  overthrown;  provisions  and  arms  obtained, 
and  the  enemy  received  a  check  which  in  all  proba- 
bility would  have  enabled  Hull  to  sustain  himself 
till  reinforcements  arrived.  But  he  had  made  up 
his  mind  to  surrender,  and  thus  save  Detroit  from 
the  cruelties  of  the  savage,  and  the  enemy  could  not 
commit  a  blimdor  of  sufficient  magnitude  to  arouse 


BEVIKW  OF  hull's  CONDUCT. 


91 


his  hopes  and  spur  him  into  resistance ;  and  having 
scarcely  heard  the  report  of  his  guns  from  first  to 
last,  he  veiled  the  banner  of  his  country  in  the 
dust 

This  explanation  of  his  conduct  would  correspond 
more  with  his  former  life,  than  to  admit  the  charge 
of  either  treason  or  cowardice,  and  be  perfectly- 
satisfactory,  but  for  the  mode  of  his  surrender. 
There  is  a  mystery  here,  that  neither  General  Hull 
nor  his  friends  have  ever  cleared  up.  After  having 
shown  the  imbecility  of  government,  by  which 
failure  became  inevitable,  they  stop  as  though  their 
task  was  done.  But  the  criminality  of  government 
being  conceded,  and  the  fall  of  Detroit  acknowledged 
to  be  an  inevitable  consequence,  it  does  not  follow 
that  the  surrender  of  the  army  was  necessary.  Why, 
after  Colonel  Miller  opened  the  communications  with 
supplies  and  reinforcements,  did  not  General  Hull  re- 
treat at  once  ?  The  enemy  would  not  have  attempted 
a  pursuit  through  that  wilderness.  With  a  rear  guard 
left  to  man  the  works,  he  could  have  gained  two  days' 
march,  while  Detroit  was  able  to  make  as  good  terms 
without  him  as  with  him.  He  could  have  had  no 
reason  for  staying,  except  the  determination  to  hold 
his  position  and  defend  Detroit  to  the  last.  If  he 
had  not  fully  resolved  to  do  so,  the  way  of  retreat 
was  open,  and  he  was  bound  to  occupy  it ;  if  he  had, 
why  did  he  not  keep  to  that  determination  ?    No  new 


'.#•  n 


,.   1 


I      ^ 


li 


I 

|i 

I.    1 

if  A   I 


02 


SECOND   WAR   WITH   ENGLAND. 


-'■:<s 


L' 


elements  had  entered  into  the  struggle — no  unfor- 
seen  events  occun'ed  to  affect  the  conclusions  he  had 
adopted.  The  enemy  was  not  in  greater  force  than 
he  imagined,  but  on  the  contrary,  in  less.  He  under- 
stood the  strength  of  his  own  position  ;  his  troops 
were  never  in  greater  spirits ;  why  then  did  he  so 
suddenly  and  totally  change  his  purpose  ?  It  is  im- 
possible to  reconcile  this  grievous  inconsistency  in 
his  conduct.  Nor  is  this  all  that  is  dark  and  myste- 
rious; supposing  new  conditions  had  occurred  to 
alter  his  determination,  and  affect  the  relative  posi- 
tion of  the  armies— an  entirely  new  order  of  things  had 
taken  place,  requiring  another  mode  of  procedure 
than  the  one  adopted  by  himself  and  the  army;  why 
did  he  not  call  a  council  of  war,  and  submit  those 
new  features  to  its  consideration  ?  "When  his  troops 
wished  to  attack  Maiden,  he  considered  the  question 
so  momentous  as  to  require  a  council  of  his  officers. 
When  a  simple  repulse  was  the  only  misfortune  that 
could  happen,  he  regarded  it  his  duty  to  take  advice 
from  his  subordinates ;  but  when  it  came  to  an  abso- 
lute surrender  of  his  whole  army,  no  such  obligation 
was  felt.  This  man,  who  was  so  afraid  to  compro- 
mise his  force,  lest  it  should  meet  with  a  repulse,  did 
not  in  the  end  hesitate  to  surrender  it  entire,  and  cover 
it  with  dishonor  on  his  own  responsibility.  Military 
history  rarely  records  such  an  event  as  this,  and  never 
unless  either  treason  or  cowardice  was  apparent 


REVIEW  OF  hull's  C30NDUCT. 


93 


as  noonday.  Kot  a  faltering  word — not  a  doubtful 
movement — not  a  sign  of  flinching,  till  the  white 
flag  was  seen  flaunting  its  cowardly  folds  before  the 
banner  of  his  country.  No  general  has  a  right  to 
aseume  such  a  responsibility,  at  least,  until  the  ques- 
tion has  been  submitted  to  his  officers.  lie  may 
peril  his  troops  in  an  unsuccessful  attack,  but  never 
dishonor  them  without  consulting  their  wishes.  The 
act  was  that  of  a  timorous  commander,  or  of  a 
bold  and  unscrupulous  man,  like  Gorgey.  The 
rash  and  unmilitary  advance  of  Brock,  which  not- 
withstanding its  success,  met  the  disapproval  of  his 
superior,  seems  wholly  unaccountable,  except  some 
one,  in  the  confidence  of  IIul!^  had  whispered  in  his 
ears,  that  the  latter  intended  no  defence. 

The  marnier  of  surrender,  conflicts  with  the  expla- 
nation of  the  act  itself,  and  involves  the  conduct  of 
Hull  in  a  mystery.  To  tell  us  he  was  neither  a 
traitor  nor  a  coward,  and  yet  leave  those  violations 
of  military  rules  and  contradictions  of  character  un- 
explained and  unreconciled,  is  to  leave  the  same  pain- 
ful doubt  on  the  mind  as  though  no  defence  had 
been  attempted.  A  morbid  state  of  mind  equiva- 
lent to  insanity,  thus  changing  for  a  time  the  whole 
character  of  the  man,  is  the  only  charitable  con- 
Btruction. 

The  blame,  however,  was  not  distributed  impar- 
tially.   The  Secretary  of  "War  should  have  been  im« 


li 


r.    fi 


I 


s--; 


lim 


94 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


L"':  ■  ffl 


mediately  removed  from  office,  Dearborn  withdrawn 
as  commander-in-chief,  aud  the  whole  administration 
thoroughly  overhauled,  and  its  policy  changed.    As 
it  was,  the  swelling  curses  of  the  land  smote  the  sin- 
gle head  of  General  Hull.    The  news  of  his  surren- 
der fell  on  the  country  like  a  thunderbolt  at  noon-day. 
The  march  of  his  army  had  been  watched  with  in- 
tense interest,  but  with  scarcely  any  misgivings.    So 
large  a  force  appearing  with  the  declaration  of  war  in 
their  hands  on  the  weak  and  unprepared  posts  of  the 
north-western  frontier  was  expected  to  sweep  every- 
thing before  it.    Its  defeat  was  considered  impossible, 
its  entire,  shameful  surrender,  therefore,  could  hardly 
be  credited.    The  nation  was  stunned,  but  with  sur- 
prise, not  fear,  at  least  that  portion  west  of  the  AUe- 
ghanies.    Indignation  and  a  spirit  of  fierce  retaliation 
swelled  every  bosom.    But  eastward,  where  party 
spirit  and  divided  feelings  and  views,  had  rendered 
the  war  party  cautious  and  timid,  the  effect  was  for 
a  time  paralyzing.    If  defeated  at  the  outset,  while 
England  could  bring  into  the  field  scarcely  any  but 
her  colonial  force,  what  would  be  our  prospects  of 
success  when  her  veterans  drilled  in  the  wars  of  tlie 
continent  should  appear?   The  government,  however, 
awoke  to  the  vastness  of  the  undertaking,  but  still 
remained  ignorant  of  the  means  by  which  it  was  to 
be  accomplished. 
To    save    the    north-western    frontier,    now   laid 


op 

Pe 

unt 

the 

Kei 

and 

youi 

wie]< 

men 

and  2 

pecai] 

19th  1 

from 

appan 
Diggai 
useless 
For 
Shelby 
were  p 
tia,  wh 
Vincen 
oflndif 


HARBISON'S   ABMT. 


9ff 


open  to  the  incursions  of  savages,  Kentucky,  Ohio, 
Pennsylvania  and  Virginia,  sent  forth  crowds  of  vol- 
unteers, eager  to  redeem  the  tarnished  reputation  of 
the  country.  Several  members  of  Congress  from 
Kentucky  enlisted  as  private  soldiers — the  young 
and  ardent  Clay  was  seen  at  the  musters,  thrilling  the 
young  men  who  surrounded  him,  as  though  he 
wielded  the  fiery  cross  in  his  hands.  Ten  thousand 
men  were  raised  in  an  incredible  short  space  of  time, 
and  placed  under  General  Harrison,  the  hero  of  Tip- 
pecanoe. To  these  were  added  portions  of  the  I7th  and 
19th  regiments  of  regular  infantry  and  two  regiments 
from  Kentucky  and  Ohio,  for  government  was 
apparently  determined  to  make  up  for  the  insufficient, 
niggardly  expenditures  of  the  first  campaign  by  its 
useless  prodigality  in  preparing  for  the  second. 

Four  thousand  men  raised  by  order  of  Gov. 
Shelby,  of  Kentucky,  all  mounted  on  horseback, 
were  put  under  Major  General  Hopkins,  of  the  mili- 
tia, who,  jointly  with  three  regiments  already  sent  to 
Vincennes  by  Harrison,  were  to  defend  the  frontiers 
of  Indiana  and  Illinois. 

Beaching  Fort  Harrison,  which  Captain,  after- 
wards General  Taylor,  with  scarcely  thirty 
efficient  men,  had  gallantly  defended  against  the 
attacks  of  four  or  five  hundred  Indians,  this  motley 
crowd  of  horsemen  started  on  the  14th  for  the  Indian 
villages  which  lay  along  the  Illinois  and  Wabash 


Get.  10. 


5)i 


\l 


m 


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I 


'    ■ 

^'-  i'  ■' 

^Kh 

- 

lima 

^^K|t 

Ws^ 

ii 

I 


96 


SECOND  WAR  WITH   ENGLAND. 


fl«pt.  M. 


rivers.  But  tho  long  and  tedious  march  and  the  un- 
comfortable bivouacs  by  night,  obscured  the  visions 
of  glory  that  had  dazzled  them,  and  the  fourth  day, 
the  enthusiasm  which  from  the  first  had  been  rapidly 
subsiding,  reached  zero,  and  open  mutiny  seized  the 
entire  body  of  the  troops.  A  major  rode  up  to  Gen- 
eral Hopkins  and  peremptorily  ordered  him  to  wheel 
about.  The  General  refusing  to  obey,  he  was  compelled 
next  day  to  constitute  the  rear  guard  of  this  splendid 
corps  of  cavalry,  whose  horses'  tails  were  towards 
the  enemy  and  their  heads  towards  Fort  Harrison. 
In  the  mean  time,  Harrison,  with  about  2,500 
men  reached  Fort  Deposit,  and  relieved  the  gap 
rison  composed  of  seventy  men  who  had  gallantly  with- 
stood the  attacks  of  hordes  of  Indians.  Here  he  paused 
till  the  arrival  of  other  troops,  and  occupied  the  time 
in  sending  out  various  detachments  against  the  In- 
dian villages,  all  of  which  were  successful. 

On  the  18th,  Harrison  returned  to  Fort  Wayne, 
where  he  met  General  Winchester,  with  reinforce- 
ments from  Ohio  and  Kentucky,  in  all  about  two 
thousand  men.  Winchester  ranked  Harrison,  and 
the  latter  finding  himself  superseded,  was  about  to 
retire.  The  President,  however,  restored  him  to 
his  original  command,  and  he  continued  his  march 
northward.  In  the  latter  part  of  thic  month 
he  was  at  Fort  Defiance.  Leaving  his  troops 
there,  he  returned  to  the  settlements  to  organize  and 


haste 
tre  a 
origii 
captu 
three 
to  th( 
Browi 
had  6( 
and  ru 
of  rive 
forests 
men,  sc 
part  in 
toiling 
Their  a 
their  be 
A  mow 
swarmii 


Sept. 


p 


HARRISON'S  TROOPS. 


07 


hasten  up  the  forces  designed  to  constitute  the  cen- 
tre and  right  wing  of  his  army.  Abandoning  hia 
original  plan  of  boldly  marching  on  Detroit  and  re- 
capturing it  at  once,  he  determined  to  advance  in 
three  different  columns,  by  as  many  different  routes, 
to  the  Miami  Eapids,  thence  move  suddenly  to 
Brownstown,  cross  the  river  and  seize  Maiden,  which 
had  so  annoyed  Hull.  All  along  the  highways 
and  rude  half-trodden  paths,  and  skirting  the  banks 
of  rivers  that  rolled  through  nothing  but  primeval 
forests  from  their  sources  to  the  lakes,  squads  of 
men,  some  mounted,  some  in  uniform,  but  the  most 
part  in  the  rough  frontiersman  costume,  were  seen 
toiling  northward,  to  avenge  tne  disgrace  of  Hull. 
Their  camp-fires  lit  up  the  wilderness  by  night,  and 
their  boisterous  mirth  filled  it  with  echoes  by  day. 
A  more  motley  band  of  soldiers  were  never  seen 
swarming  to  battle. 


'(M 


CHAPTER  rV. 

Op«ntioii8  on  the  N«w  York  frontier -Battle  of  Qaeenstown— Deeth  of  Brock- 
Scott  »  prisoner— Oeneral  Smythe's  Proclamation  and  abortive  attemptt— Cursed 
by  the  armj— Duel  with  General  Porter— Uetiros  in  disgrace— Dearborn**  more- 
menta  and  ildlorea— Bevlev  of  the  campaign  on  the  New  York  Arontier— Charafr 
tor  of  the  officers  and  soldierai  « 

While  Harrison^s  forces  were  thus  scattered  amid 
the  forests  and  settlements  of  Ohio  and  Indiana,  the 
army  along  the  Niagara  frontier  had  begun  to  move. 
At  this  time  every  eye  in  the  land  was  turned  north- 
ward. That  long  chain  of  Mediterraneans,  whose 
shores  were  fringed  with  hostile  armies,  from  Sack- 
ett's  Harbor  to  where  they  lost  themselves  in  the 
forests  of  the  north-west,  became  an  object  of  the 
deepest  interest.  Every  rumor  that  the  wind  bore 
across  the  wilderness,  or  that,  following  the  chains  of 
settlements  along  the  rivers  reached  the  haunts  of 
civilization,  was  caught  up  with  avidity.  The  dis- 
comfiture of  Hull  had  filled  every  heart  with  trem- 
Ming  solicitude  for  the  fate  of  our  other  armies. 
Defeat  in  the  west,  and  incomprehensible  delays  in 
the  east,  had  changed  the  Canadas  from  a  weak  pro- 


iiK 


mOARDORN  8     ARMTSTIOII. 


99 


vince,  to  he  overrun  by  the  first  invader,  into  a  Gib- 
raltar against  which  the  entire  strength  of  the  nation 
innst  be  hurled. 

I  have  stated  before  that  Dearborn,  commanding 
the  forces  on  the  Niagara  and  northern  frontier, 
instead  of  making  a  diversion  in  favor  of  jSnll,  by 
crossing  the  Niagara  and  drawing  attention  to  him- 
self, had  been  coaxed  into  an  armistice  with  Provost, 
the  English  Governor,  in  which  Hull  had  been  left 
out.  This  armistice  was  asked  and  granted,  on  the 
groimd  that  dispatches  had  been  received,  announc- 
ing the  revocation  of  the  orders  in  council.  One 
great  cause  of  the  war  being  thus  removed,  it  was 
hoped  that  peace  might  be  restored.  The  result  was 
as  we  have  seen;  the  British  commander  immedi- 
ately dispatched  Brock  to  Maiden,  to  capture  Hull, 
from  which  successful  expedition  he  was  able  to  re- 
^lrn  before  the  armistice  was  broken  off.  General 
Dearborn  clung  to  this  absurd  armistice,  as  if  it  were 
the  grandest  stroke  of  diplomacy  conceivable.  He 
carried  his  attachment  so  far  as  to  disobey  the  ex- 
press command  ot  his  Government,  to  break  it  off. 
At  length,  however,  this  nightmare  ended,  and 
August  preparations  were  made  for  a  vigorous  autum- 
nal  campaign. 

The  northern  army,  numbering  between  eight  and 
ten  thousand  soldiers,  was  principally  concentrated 
at  two  points.    One  portion  was  encamped  near. 


■1  »■ 

■M' 


'^ ., 


■1 


100 


SBOOND  WAR  Willi  ENGLAND. 


Plattsburg  and  Greenbush,  commanded  by  General 
Dearborn,  in  person,  the  other  at  Lewistown,  was 
under  the  direction  of  General  Stephen  Van  Rensa- 
laer,  of  the  New  York  militia,  while  1,500  regulars, 
under  General  Smythe,  lay  at  Buffalo,  a  few  miles 
distant.  There  were  a  few  troops  stationed  also  at 
Ogdensburg,  Sackett's  Harbor,  and  Black  Hock. 

The  discontent  produced  by  Hull's  surrender,  and 
the  loud  complaints  against  the  inaction  of  the 
northern  army,  together  with  the  consciousness  that 
something  must  be  done  to  prevent  the  first  year  of 
war  from  closing  in  unmixed  gloom,  induced  General 
Van  Ilensalaer  to  make  a  bold  push  into  Canada, 
and  by  a  sudden  blow  attempt  to  wrest  Jamestown 
from  the  enemy,  and  there  establish  his  winter 
quarters. 

The  cutting  out  of  two  English  brigs*  from  under 
the  guns  of  Fort  Erie,  by  Lieutenant  Elliot  with  some 
fifty  volunteers,  created  an  enthusiasm  in  the  Ameri- 
can camp  of  which  General  Van  Bensalaer  deter- 
mined to  avail  himself. 

The  command  of  the  expedition  was  given  to 
his  cousin.  Col.  Solomon  Yan  Eensalaer,  a  brave 
and  chivalric  officer,  who  on  the  13th  of  October, 
at  the  head  of  three  hundred  militia,  accompanied 


*  One  of  those,  the  Galedonia,  afterwards  did  good  service  as  a 
part  of  the  fleet  of  Perry  on  Lake  Erie.  The  other  having  gone 
aground,  was  burnt,  to  prevent  recapture. 


VAN  REN8ALABB  ENTERS  OAKADA. 


101 


by  Col.  Chrystio  with  three  hundred  regular  troops, 
prepared  to  cross  the  river.  It  wanted  still  an  hour  to 
daylight  when  the  two  columns  stood  in  battle  array 
on  the  shore.  Tlirough  carelessness,  or  inability  to 
obtain  them,  there  were  not  sufficient  boats  to  take 
all  over  at  once,  and  they  were  compelled  to  cross  in 
detachments.  The  boat  which  carried  Ool.  Chrystie 
being  badly  managed,  was  swept  away  bj  the  cur- 
rent, and  finally  compelled  to  re-land  on  the  Ameri- 
can shore.  This  gallant  officer  was  wounded  while 
thus  drifting  in  the  stream,  yet  soon  after  he  made 
another  attempt  to  cross,  and  succeeding,  led  liis 
troops  nobly  until  the  close  of  the  action. 

Col.  Van  Eensalaer  having  effected  a  landing, 
formed  on  the  shore  and  marched  forward.  The 
whole  force  at  this  time  did  not  exceed  one  hundred 
men.  These,  however,  were  led  up  the  bank  where 
they  halted  to  wait  the  junction  of  the  other  troops  that 
kept  arriving,  a  few  boat  loads  at  a  time.  But  day- 
light now  having  dawned,  the  exposed  position  of 
this  detachment  rendered  it  a  fair  mark  for  the  enemy, 
who  immediately  opened  their  fire  upon  it.  In  a 
few  minutr"  every  commissioned  officer  was  either 
killed  or  wounded.  Col.  Yan  Eensalaer  finding 
that  the  bank  of  the  river  afforded  very  little  shel- 
ter, determined  with  the  handful  under  him  to  storm 
the  heights.  But  he  had  now  received  four  wounds, 
and  was  compelled  to  surrender  the  command  to 


i 

;    )' 


^^ 


..  { 


!  ' 


I 

I! 
''( 
t 


1: 


1  il 


102 


SBOOITD  WAB  WITH  ENGLAND. 


Captains  Ogilvie  and  Wool,*  who  gallantly 
moved  forward,  and  carried  the  fort  and  heights. 
The  enemy  were  driven  into  a  strong  stone  house, 
from  which  they  made  two  unsuccessful  attempts  to 
recover  the  ground  they  had  lost.  Brock,  flushed 
with  the  easy  victory  he  had  gained  over  Hull,  ral- 
lied them  by  his  presence,  and  while  attempting  to 
lead  on  the  grenadiers  of  the  49th,  fell  mortally 
wounded.  This  for  a  time  gave  the  Americans  un- 
disturbed possession  of  the  heights,  and  great  efforts 
were  made  to  bring  over  the  other  troops.  General 
Yan  Bensalaer,  after  the  fall  of  his  cousin,  crossed 
and  took  the  command,  but  hastening  back  to  urge 
on  the  embarkation  of  the  militia,  it  devolved  on 
General  Wadsworth. 

Daylight  had  seen  this  brave  little  band  form  on 
the  shores  of  the  river  under  a  galling  fire — the 
morning  sun  glittered  on  their  bayonets  from  the 
heights  of  Queenstown,  and  the  victory  seemed  won. 
The  day  so  gloriously  begun  would  have  closed  in 
brighter  effulgence,  had  not  the  militia  on  the  farther 
side  refused  to  cross  over  to  the  assistance  of  their 
hard-pressed  comrades.  A  stone  house  near  the 
bank  defended  by  two  light  pieces  of  artillery,  stili 
played  on  the  boats  that  attempted  to  cross,  and  the 
Americans  on  the  Canada  side,  having  no  heavy 
artillery,  were  unable  to  take  it.   The  firing  from  this, 

*  Now  General  Wool. 


■'  ■  ti 


SCOTT   TAKES  COMMAND. 


108* 


and  soon  after  the  appearance  of  a  large  body  of 
Indians  on  the  field  of  battle,  so  frightened  the  mi- 
litia, that  neither  entreaties  nor  threats  could  induce 
them  to  embark.  Through  utter  want  of  orderly 
management,  half  ^  of  the  twenty  boats  had  been 
destroyed  or  lost ;  still  it  was  not  the  lack  of  means 
of  transportation  that  held  them  back,  but  conscien- 
Uou8  scruples  ahout  vn/oading  an  enermfs  territory. 
Attempting  to  mask  their  cowardice  under  this 
ridiculous  plea,  they  stood  and  saw  the  dangers 
thicken  around  their  comrades  who  had  relied  on 
their  support,  without  making  a  single  effort  to  save 
them  from  destruction. 

Lieutenant-colonel  Scott  by  a  forced  march  through 
mud  and  rain,  had  arrived  at  Lewistown  with  his 
regiment  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  just  as  the 
troops  were  embarking.  He  begged  permission  to 
take  part  in  the  expedition,  but  the  arrangements 
having  all  been  made,  his  request  was  denied.  He 
therefore  planted  his  guns  on  the  shore  and  opened  his 
fire  on  the  enemy.  But  seeing  how  small  a  propor- 
tion of  the  troops  were  got  across,  and  perceiving  also 
the  peril  of  Yan  Rensalaer's  detachment,  his  young 
and  gallant  heart  could  not  allow  him  to  remain 
an  idle  spectator,  and  taking  one  piece  of  artillery  he 
jumped  into  a  boat  with  his  adjutant  Koach,  and 
pushed  for  the  opposite  shore.  "Wadsworth  imme- 
diately gave  the  command  of  the  troops  to  him,  and 


>  -I 

n 


I  M 


-M 


104 


SECOND  WAB  WITH  ENGLAND. 


his  chivalric  bearing  and  enthusiastic  language  soon 
animated  every  heart  with  new  courage.  Six  feet 
five  inches  in  height  and  in  full  uniform,  he  pre- 
sented a  conspicuous  mark  for  the  enemy  and  a  ral- 
lying point  to  the  troops.  Had  his  regiment 
been  with  him,  Queenstown  would  have  been  a 
second  Chippewa. 

Considerable  reinforcements,  however,  had  ar- 
rived, swelling  the  number  to  six  hundred,  of  whom 
three  hundred  and  fifty  were  regular  troops.  These, 
Scott,  assisted  by  the  cool  and  skillful  Capt.  Zitten, 
soon  placed  in  the  most  commanding  positions,  and 
waited  for  further  reinforcements.  Just  before,  a 
body  of  five  hundred  Indians,  whom  the  firing  had 
suddenly  collected,  joined  the  beaten  light  troops  of 
the  English.  Encouraged  by  this  accession  of 
strength,  the  latter  moved  again  to  the  assault,  but 
were  driven  back  in  confusion.  Still  the  enemy 
kept  up  a  desultory  engagement.  On  one  occasion, 
the  Indians,  issuing  suddenly  from  the  forest,  sur- 
prised a  picket  of  militia,  and  following  hard  on 
their  fiying  traces,  carried  consternation  into  that 
part  of  the  line.  Scott,  who  was  in  the  rear,  show- 
ing the  men  how  to  unspike  a  gun,  hearing  the  tu- 
mult, hastened  to  the  front,  and  rallying  a  few 
platoons,  scattered  those  wild  warriors  with  a  single 
blow.  But  while  the  day  was  wearing  away  in  this 
doubtful  manner,  a  more  formidable  foe  appeared  on 


ABBIVAL  OF  SHEAFFE. 


105 


the  field.  General  Sheaffe,  commanding  at  Fort 
George,  had  heard  the  firing  in  the  morning ;  and  a 
little  later  the  news  of  the  death  of  Brock  was 
brought  him.  His  forces  were  immediately  put  in 
motion,  and  soon  after  midday  the  little  band  that 
had  from  day  dawn  bravely  breasted  the  storm,  saw 
from  the  heights  they  had  so  bravely  won,  a  column 
eight  hundred  and  fifty  strong,  approaching  the 
scene  of  combat — ^not  in  haste  or  confusion,  but  with 
the  slow  and  measured  tread  of  disciplined  troops. 
These  few  hundred  Americans  watched  its  progress 
with  undaunted  hearts,  and  turned  to  catch  the  out- 
hnes  of  their  own  advancing  regiments,  but  not  a 
bayonet  was  moving  to  their  help.  At  this  critical 
moment  news  arrived  of  the  shameful  mutiny  that 
had  broken  out  on  the  opposite  shore.  The  entreat- 
ies of  Van  Rensalaer,  and  the  noble  example  of 
Wadsworth,  and  the  increasing  peril  of  their  com- 
rades, were  wholly  unavailing — ^not  a  soul  would 
stir.  This  sealed  the  fate  of  the  American  detach- 
ment. A  few  hundred,  sustained  by  only  one  piece 
of  artillery  against  the  thirteen  hundred  of  the  ene- 
my— their  number  when  the  junction  of  the  advanc- 
ing column  with  the  remaining  troops  and  the 
Indian  allies  should  be  effected — constituted  hopeless 
odds.  General  Yan  Kensalaer,  from  the  opposite 
shore,  saw  this,  and  sent  word  to  Wadsworth  to 
retreat  at  once,  and  he  would  send  every  boat  he 


!■        1:1 


l»         i 


li'l 


HI 


m 


f  n 


II 


loe 


MKOONU  WAK  WITH   KMOriAND. 


(UMild  lay  hiiiulri  on  i<»  rooolvo  tliu  fiip^tivoN.  ITO| 
howiwor,  Iof(;uvur,yt))iiif(iotliojii(i|<iiioiitortholHUur. 
(j<»lonolH  Olii^Htio  luul  Hcott,  ut*  iJio  roguluni,  luid 
MiMut,  Htmhivn,  and  Alluu  of  tho  mil  it  in,  uiid  oilluorii 
Ogilvio,  Wuol,  Tottcii^  and  Oibnoii  MuOlioHiiuy,  iui<i 
othui'H^  |>i*i)riontod  a  noldo  yot  Horrowrul  gi'ou|),  uh 
tho)'  took  (Hxiucil  (»vor  thtH  invmHaf(o  of  tliu  coin* 
inaudciMU-uliiot*.  Their  cumo  whh  uviduiitly  a  lio[)u- 
IuH(4  ouu^  }'et  tlioy  ooidd  not  iiialio  tip  thoir  miiulH  to 
rotroat.  (^ol.  Soott,  mounting  a  log  in  tVont  of  liiti 
tn)o|)H,  haranguod  tiioni  in  a  Htrain  wortliy  of  tho 
da)'H  of  chivalr)'.  Ilo  told  thoiu  thoir  condition  wan 
dosporato,  but  that  lluirn  Hurrondor  muHt  ho  ro- 
doomod.  "  liOt  us  then  dio,"  ho  oxclaiinod,  *'  arins 
in  hand.  Our  oountry  doinands  tho  Hiicriiico.  Tlio 
i»xani])lo  will  not  bo  lost.  Tho  blood  of  tho  shiiii 
will  nmko  hoi'oes  of  tho  living.  Those  who  follow 
will  avenge  our  fall,  and  our  country's  wrongs. 
^Vho  dare  to  standi"  A  loud  *'  Au.l"  rang  fitornly 
along  the  line.*  In  the  niean  time  Gen.  Shoatfe  hud 
arrived,  but  iuv^^tead  of  advancing  iininediately  to 
the  attack,  slowly  inarched  his  column  the  whole 
length  of  the  American  lino,  then  countormarclKui  it, 
as  if  to  make  sure  tiiat  tho  littlo.band  in  front  of  him 
Wiis  tho  only  force  lio  had  to  overcoino.  All  saw  at 
a  glance  that  I'osistimco  was  useless,  and  retreat  al- 
most hopeless.    Tho  latter,  however,  was  resolved 

*  Mansfield's  Life  of  Scott 


t' 


niiuuiCNDicit  OK  mxm'. 


107 


U|MMi,  ))iit  tlu^  irioinoiit,  ilio  onlor  wuh  ^ivoii  t^initiru, 
till)  wliolo  bi'okd  ill  dinonlorly  fli^lil,  towiinlH  tJio  rivor. 
To  llioir  illHimiy,  no  Undn  woro  llioi'c  torccoivotlicin, 
uiid  II  nu^of  triKH)  WUH  ilioroforo  Hoiit  to  tJio  uiioiriy. 
Tlu)  iii(mH(iiip;or,  liowoviM',  iidvor  nitiinnjil ;  luiothcr 
and  iiiKitluu'  Hliui'od   iliu  hiiiiio  i'nU).     At  liiHt  Hcott 
iu!(l  a  wliito  liiiiMlkorcliiid'  to  U\h  Hword,  uiid  uccoiii- 
]»atii(Ml  by  (/tiptiiiiiH  Tottoii  uiid  (^ibHoii,  erupt  under 
ono  of  tlio  |H'iM'J|)K5CH,  down  tlm  river,  till  lie  arrived 
wlitire  u  guntlo  HJope  i^uvo  un  auHy  uHcent,  when  the 
throe  iiiiKle  a  )>iih1i  lor  the  road,  which  led  from  the 
valley  to  the  heightH.     On  the  way  they  were  met  by 
IndiaiiHjWho  firing  on  thejn,  riiHhed  forward  with  their 
toniahawkR,  to  kill  them.    They  would  soon  liave 
shared  the  late  of  the  other  ineHHengerH,  but  for  tho 
timely  arrival  of  a  Uritinh  olHcer,  with  Bomo  soldiers 
who  took  them  to  C[en.  Hheaffe,  to  whom  Scott  sur- 
rendered his  whole  force.    Two  hundred  and  ninety- 
three  were  all  that  survived  of  the  brave  band  who 
had  struggled  so  long  and  so  nobly  for  victory. 
Hevcral  hundred  militia,  however,  were  found  con- 
cealed along  tho  shore,  who  had  crossed  over,  but 
skulked  away  in  tho  confusion. 

Tho  entire  loss  of  the  Amcncans  in  this  unfortunate 
expedition,  killed  and  captured,  was  about  one  thou- 
saiLd  men. 

General  Van  Rensalaer,  disgusted  with  the  con- 
duct of  the  militia,  soon  after  sent  iu  his  resignation. 


1% 


i    v| 


r:i. 


i>  i 


108 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


'^:r'% 


■;,?' 


I    .:'!' 


Ei;  ■::■ 
I'    hi,. 


Brock  was  buried  the  following  day  "under  one  of 
the  bastions  of  Fort  George,"  and  at  the  request  of 
Scott, then  a  prisoner,  minute  guns  were  fired  from  Fort 
Niagara  during  the  funeral  ceremonies.  Above  the 
dull  distant  roar  of  the  cataract,  the  minute  guns  of 
friends  and  foes  pealed  over  the  dead,  as  with 
shrouded  banners  the  slowly  marching  column  bore 
him  to  his  last  resting  place.  Cannon  that  but  a 
few  hours  before  had  been  exploding  in  angry  strife 
on  each  other,  now  joined  their  peaceful  echoes  over 
his  grave.  Such  an  act  was  characteristic  of  Scott, 
who  fierce  and  fearless  in  battle,  was  chivalrous  and 
kind  in  all  his  feelings.  • 

While  a  prisoner  in  an  inn  at  Niagara,  Scott  was 
told  that  some  one  wished  to  see  the  "  tall  Ameri- 
can." He  immediately  passed  through  into  the 
entry,  when  to  his  astonishment  he  saw  standing  be- 
fore him  two  savage  Indian  chiefs,  the  same  who  had 
attempted  to  kill  him  when  he  surrendered  himself 
a  prisoner  of  war.  They  wished  to  look  on  the  man 
at  whom  they  had  so  often  fired  with  a  deliberate  aim. 
In  broken  English,  and  by  gestures,  they  inquired 
where  he  was  hit,  for  they  believed  it  impossible  that 
out  of  fifteen  or  twenty  shots  not  one  had  taken 
effect.  The  elder  chief,  named  Jacobs,  a  tall,  pow- 
erful savage,  became  furious  at  Scott's  asserting  that 
not  a  ball  had  touched  him,  and  seizing  his  shoul- 
ders rudely,  turned  him  round  to  examine  his  back. 


SCOTT  AND  THE  SAVAGES. 


109 


The  young  and  fiery  Colonel  did  not  like  to  have 
such  freedom  taken  with  his  person  by  a  savage,  and 
hurling  him  fiercely  aside,  exclaimed,  "Off,  vil- 
lain, you  fired  like  a  squaw."  "  "We  kill  you  now," 
was  the  quick  and  startling  reply,  as  knives  and 
tomahawks  gleamed  in  their  hands.  Scott  was  not 
a  man  to  beg  or  run,  though  either  would  have  been 
preferable  to  taking  his  chances  against  these  armed 
savages.  Luckily  for  him,  the  swords  of  the  Ame- 
rican ofiicers  who  had  been  taken  prisoners,  were 
stacked  under  the  staircase  beside  which  he  was 
standing.  Quick  as  thought  he  snatched  up  the 
largest,  a  long  sabre,  and  the  next  moment  it  glit- 
tered unsheathed  above  his  head.  One  leap  back- 
ward, to  get  scope  for  play,  and  he  stood  towering 
even  above  the  gigantic  chieftain,  who  glared  in 
savage  hate  upon  him.  ,The  Indians  were  in  the 
wider  part  of  the  hall,  between  the  foot  of  the  stairs 
and  the  door,  while  Scott  stood  farther  in  where  it 
was  narrower.  The  former,  therefore,  could  not  get 
in  the  rear,  and  were  compelled  to  face  their  enemy. 
They  manoeuvred  to  close,  but  at  every  turn  that  sa- 
bre flashed  in  their  eyes.  The  moment  they  should 
come  to  blows,  one,  they  knew,  was  sure  to  die,  and 
although  it  was  equally  certain  that  Scott  would  fall 
under  the  knife  of  the  survivor  before  he  could 
regain  his  position,  yet  neither  Indian  seemed 
anxious  to  be  the  sacrifice.    While  they  thus  stood 


!  '1 


f 


'  I 


i  &. 

r 


•l! 


■i.v' 


m'^^i 


'' 


Vfl 


110 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


watching  each  other,  a  British  officer  chanced  to 
enter,  and  on  beholding  the  terrific  tableau,  cried 
ont,  ^^The  guard,"  and  at  the  same  instant  seized  the 
tallest  chief  by  the  arm  and  presented  a  cocked  pis- 
tol to  his  head.  The  next  moment  the  blade  of 
Scott  quivered  over  the  head  of  the  other  savage,  to 
protect  his  deliverer.  In  a  few  seconds  the  guards 
entered  with  levelled  bayonets,  and  the  two  chief- 
tains were  secured.  One  of  them  was  the  son  of 
Brant,  of  revolutionary  notoriety. 

The  prisoners  were  all  taken  to  Quebec,  whence 
they  were  sent  in  a  cartel  to  Boston.  As  they  were 
about  to  sail,  Scott,  who  was  in  the  cabin  of  the  trans- 
port, hearing  a  noise  on  deck,  went  up  to  ascertain 
the  cause,  and  found  that  the  British  officers  were  sep- 
arating the  Irishmen,  to  exclude  them  from  mercy  due 
to  the  other  prisoners,  and « have  them  taken  to  Eng- 
land and  tried  for  treason.  Twenty-three  had  thus 
been  set  apart  when  he  arrived.  Indignant  at  this 
outrage,  he  peremptorily  ordered  the  rest  of  the  men 
to  keep  silent  and  not  answer  a  question  of  any  kind, 
80  that  neither  by  their  replies  or  voice  they  could 
give  any  evidence  of  the  place  of  their  birth.  He 
then  turned  to  the  doomed  twenty-three,  and  de- 
nounced the  act  of  the  officers,  and  swore  most 
solemnly  that  if  a  hair  of  their  heads  was  touched,  he 
would  avenge  it,  even  if  he  was  compelled  to  refuse 
quarter  in  battle. 


GENERAL  SiCTTHE. 


Ill 


Not.  lOi, 


Soon  affcer  he  reached  Boston,  he  was  sent  to  Wash- 
ington, and  in  a  short  time  was  exchanged.  He  then 
drew  up  a  report  of  the  whole  affair  to  the  Secretary 
of  War,  and  it  was  presented  the  same  day  to  Con- 
gress. The  result  was  the  passage  of  an  act  of  retalia- 
tion (March  3d,  1813.) 

General  Yan  Eensalaer  having  resigned  his  com- 
mission, making  the  second  general  disposed  of  since 
the  commencement  of  hostilities,  the  command  on 
the  Niagara  frontier  devolved  on  General  Smythe, 
who  issued  a  proclamation  to  the  *^men  of 
New  York,"  which  was  of  itself  a  sufficient 
guarantee  that  he  would  soon  follow  Hull  into  worse 
than  oblivion.  In  it,  after  speaking  of  the  failure  of 
the  former  expedition,  he  said,  "Yalor  had  been 
conspicuous,  but  the  nation  unfortunate  in  the  selec- 
tion of  some  of  those  directing  it" "the  com- 
manders were  popular  men,  destitute  alike  of  theory 
and  experience  in  the  art  of  war."  "  In  a  few  days," 
said  he,  "  the  troops  under  my  command  will  plant 
the  American  standard  in  Canada  to  conquer  or  die." 
He  called  on  all  those  desirous  of  honor  or  fame,  to 
rally  to  his  standard.  He  was  not  one  of  the  incom- 
petent generals  whose  plans  failed  through  ignorance. 
Portions  of  his  proclamations,  however,  were  well 
adapted  to  rouse  the  military  spirit  of  the  state,  and 
in  less  than  three  weeks  he  had  nearly  five  thousand 
men  under  his  command.    His  orders  from  the  Sec- 


113 


BEOOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


retary  of  War,  were,  not  to  attempt  an  invasion  with 
"  less  than  three  thousand  combatants,"  and  with  suffi- 
cient boats  to  carry  the  whole  over  together. 

Seventy  boats  and  a  large  number  of  scows  having 
been  collected  at  Black  Rock,  he  issued  his  orders  for 
the  troops  to  be  in  readiness  early  on  the  morning  of 
the  28th  of  November,  to  cross  over  and  attack  the 
enemy. 

Previous  to  the  main  movement,  however,  he  sent 
over  two  detachments,  one  under  Colonel  Boestler,  and 
the  other  under  Captain  King — the  former  to  destroy 
a  bridge  five  miles  below  Fort  Erie,  in  order  to  cut 
off  the  communication  between  it  and  Chippewa, 
while  the  latter,  with  a  hundred  and  fifty  regular 
troops  and  seventy  seamen,  was  to  carry  the  "  Red 
House,"  and  storm  the  British  batteries  on  the  shore. 

The  boats  pushed  off  at  midnight,  and  were 
soon  struggling  in  the  centre  of  the  stream.  Of 
Colonel  Boestler's  seven  boats,  containing  two  hun- 
dred men,  only  three  reached  the  Canada  shore. 
With  less  than  half  his  force  he  advanced  and  easily 
routed  the  guard,  but  hearing  that  a  British  rein- 
forcement was  marching  up,  he  retreated  without  de- 
stroying the  bridge,  and  re-embarked  his  men. 
Captain  King  started  with  ten  boats,  but  six  of  them 
were  scattered  in  the  darkness,  and  only  four  reached 
the  point  of  attack.  Among  these,  however,  were 
the  seventy  seamen.    The  advance  of  the  boats  hav- 


i'^:: 


SUBRENDISB. 


118 


ing  been  seen  by  the  sentinels  on  watch,  the  little 
detachment  was  compelled  to  land  under  a  shower  of 
grape  shot  and  musketry. 

The  sailors  without  waiting  the  order  of  a  regular 
march,  rushed  up  the  bank  with  their  boarding  pikes 
and  cutlasses,  stormed  the  position,  and  carried  it 
with  lond  huzzas.  Afler  securing  some  prisoners  and 
tumbling  two  cannon  and  their  caissons  into  the 
river.  Lieutenant  Angus  began  to  look  around  for 
Captain  King.  The  latter  directing  his  force  on  the 
exterior  batteries,  carried  the  first  by  the  bayonet, 
when  the  other  was  abandoned.  The  position  and  all 
the  batteries  being  taken,  the  firing  had  ceased,  and 
Lieutenant  Angus  marched  his  sailors,  with  the 
wounded  and  prisoners,  to  the  shore  to  wait  tor  Gap- 
tain  King,  and  recross  the  river.  Finding  only  four 
boats  there,  and  ignorant  that  no  more  had  landed, 
he  concluded  that  the  former  had  already  re-em- 
barked his  troops ;  he  therefore  launched  these  and 
made  good  his  retreat  to  the  American  shore.  In  a 
short  time  Captain  King  arrived,  and  to  his  amaze- 
ment found  all  the  boats  gone.  After  a  short  search, 
however,  he  discovered  two  belonging  to  the  enemy, 
in  which  he  despatched  the  prisoners  he  had  taken, 
and  as  many  of  his  men  as  they  would  hold.  He  re- 
mained behind  with  the  remainder  of  his  detachment, 
and  was  soon  after  compelled  to  surrender  himself 
prisoner  of  war. 


lU 


BEOOND  WAR  WITII  ENGLAND. 


On  the  return  of  Boestler  and  Angus  without  Cap- 
tain King  and  the  rest  of  the  detachment,  Colonel 
Winder  volunteered  to  go  in  search  of  them. 

But,  as  he  approached  the  opposite  shore,  he  found 
all  the  batteries  re-established,  which  opened  their  fire 
upon  him,  compelling  him  to  return  with  the  loss  of 
six  killed  and  twenty-six  wounded.  In  fact  his  own 
boat  was  the  only  one  that  touched  land  at  all — the 
others  being  carried  down  by  the  force  of  the  stream. 

Through  some  unaccountable  delay,  the  main  body, 
to  which  the  two  detachments  sent  off  at  midnight 
were  designed  as  an  advance  guard,  did  not  embark 
till  twelve  o'clock  next  day.  But  at  length  two  thou- 
sand men  under  General  Porter,  were  got  on  board, 
while  General  Tannehill's  volunteers  and  M^Clure'a 
regiment  were  drawn  up  on  the  shore  ready  to  fol- 
low. As  if  on  purpose  to  give  his  adversary  time 
for  ample  preparation,  thus  imitating  the  fatal  ex- 
amples of  Dearborn  and  Hull,  Smythe  kept  his  men 
paraded  on  the  beach  in  full  view  of  the  Canada 
shore,  till  late  in  the  afternoon.  He  then,  instead  of 
giving  the  anxiously  expected  order  to  advance,  com- 
manded the  whole  to  debark.  Indignation  and  rage 
at  this  vascillating,  pusillanimous  conduct  seized 
the  entire  army,  and  curses  and  loud  denunciations 
were  heard  on  every  side.  General  Porter  boldly 
and  openly  accused  his  commander  of  cowardice. 
The  latter,  frightened  at  the  storm  he  had  raised, 


ZnSOBAOB  OF  QENBRAL  niTTQK, 


115 


promised  that  another  attempt  should  bo  made  the 
next  day.  It  wus  roBolved  to  cross  at  u  place  live 
miles  below  the  navy  yard,  and  the  following  day, 
at  four  o'clock,  nearly  the  entire  army  was  embarked. 
General  Porter  with  the  American  colors  floating 
from  tlie  stem  of  his  boat,  was  in  advance,  to  show 
that  he  asked  no  man  to  go  where  he  would  not 
lead.  But  when  all  was  ready,  and  at  the  mo- 
ment when  every  one  expected  to  hear  the  signal 
to  move  forward,  an  order  was  passed  along  the  line 
directing  the  troops  to  be  relanded,  accompanied  with 
the  announcement  that  the  invasion  of  Canada  was 
for  that  season  abandoned.  A  sliout  of  wrath  burst 
from  the  whole  army.  Many  of  the  militia  threw 
away  their  arms  and  started  for  their  homos,  while 
fierce  threats  against  the  General's  life  were  publicly 
made  by  the  remaining  troops.  He  was  branded 
as  a  coward,  shot  at  in  the  streets,  and  without  even 
the  form  of  a  trial,  was  driven  in  scorn  and  rage 
from  the  army,  and  chased  and  mobbed  by  an  in- 
dignant people  from  the  state  he  had  dishonored. 
Before  he  retired,  however,  he  made  an  absurd  at- 
tempt to  retrieve  his  honor  by  challenging  General 
Porter  to  mortal  combat.  They  met  on  Grand 
Island  and  exchanged  shots  without  effect.  Tlie 
seconds  having  published  the  transaction  in  a  Buf- 
falo paper,  "  congratulated  the  public  on  the  happy 
issue.'*      In  commenting    on   this,   IngersoU  very 


I 


•i.i 


HI 


*'  1 


h 

u 

I' 


U' 


t 


116 


SECOND  WAR  WTTB  ENGLAND. 


pithily  remarks,  "  The  public  would  have  preferred 
a  battle  in  Canada." 

Beginning  at  the  extreme  north-west,  and  con- 
tinuing along  the  lakes  to  Niagara,  we  had  met  with 
nothing  but  defeat.  Only  one  more  army  was  left 
to  lift  the  nation  out  of  the  depths  of  gloom  by  its 
achievements,  or  deepen  the  night  in  which  the 
year  1812  was  closing.  General  Dearborn,  the  com- 
mander-in-chief, had  an  army  of  three  thousand 
regulars  and  as  many  tdotq  militia,  with  the  power 
to  swell  his  force  to  ten  thousand  if  he  thought 
proper.  The  plan  of  government  to  conquer  Can- 
ada through  HulPs  invasion  from  Detroit,  Yan  Een- 
salaer's  and  Smythe's  from  Niagara,  both  to  be  sup- 
ported and  their  triumph  secured  by  the  advance  of 
Dearborn,  had  fallen  to  the  ground,  and  the  latter 
was  passing  the  autumn  in  idleness. 

General  Brown,  who  commanded  the  militia  ap- 
pointed for  the  defence  of  the  eastern  shore  of  Lake 
Ontario  and  southern  shore  of  St.  Lawrence,  exhi- 
bited, at  Ogdensburg,  the  first  indications  of  those 
qualities  of  a  great  commander  which  afterwards 
developed  themselves  on  the  scene  of  Yan  Ken- 
salaer's  and  Smythe's  defeats  and  failures.  Colonel 
Forsyth  having  made  a  successful  incursion  into 
Canada  with  a  noble  body  of  riflemen,  twice  defeat- 
ing double  his  numbers  and  burning  a  block  house 
with  stores ;  the  British,  in  retaliation,  attacked  Og- 


ATTACK  ON  0GDEN8BTJB0. 


117 


densburg.  On  the  2d  of  October  they  commenced 
a  cannonade  from  their  batteries  at  Prescott,  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river.  This  harmless  waste  of 
ammunition  was  continued  for  two  days,  when  it 
was  resolved  to  storm  the  town.  Six  hundred  men 
were  embarked  in  forty  boats,  and  under  cover  of 
the  batteries,  pulled  steadily  across  the  river.  Gen- 
eral Brown  could  collect  but  four  hundred  militia  to 
oppose  them,  but  having  posted  these  judiciously, 
they  were  able  to  keep  up  such  a  deadly  fire  on  the 
enemy  that  every  attempt  to  land  proved  abortive, 
and  the  whole  detachment  was  compelled  to  with- 
draw to  the  Canada  shore. 

There  was,  during  the  summer,  a  good  deal  of 
skirmishing  along  the  frontier,  forming  interludes 
to  the  more  important  movements.  Colonel  Pike 
on  the  19th  of  the  same  month  made  an  incursion 
into  Canada,  surprised  a  body  of  British  and  In- 
dians, and  burnt  a  block-house.  Three  days  after, 
Captain  Lyon  captured  forty  English  at  St.  Regis, 
together  with  a  stand  of  colors  and  despatches  from 
the  Governor  General  to  an  Indian  tribe.  The  colors 
were  taken  by  William  M.  Marcy. 
Thus  the  autumn  wore  away,  till  at  last.  Dearborn 
seemed  to  awake  from  his  torpor.  Moving 
his  army  from  the  little  town  of  Champlain, 
he  forded  the  La  Cole,  and  attacked  and  captured 
an  English  block-house.    The  grand  movement  had 


Rot. 
SO. 


118 


SE00in>  WAB  WITH  BNGLAin). 


now  oommenced)  and  the  British  Governor-General 
prepared  to  meet  the  most  serious  invasion  that  had 
yet  been  attempted.  But  to  his  astonishment  he 
discovered  that  all  this  display  of  force  was  to  ob- 
tain posb^ssion  of  a  guard-house,  and  retain  it  for 
half  an  hour.  This  feat  being  accomplished,  General 
Dearborn,  amid  much  confusion,  marched  his  six 
thousand  men  back  again,  and  resting  on  his  honors 
soon  after  retired  into  winter  quarters.  After  pro- 
tracted delays  and  unaccountable  inaction,  he 
seemed  at  last  to  feel  the  necessity  of  obeying  the 
urgent  orders  of  the  government,  "  not  to  lose  a  mo- 
ment in  attacking  the  British  jposts  in  his  front,^^ 
These  he  had  now  obeyed  to  the  letter — ^he  had 
attacked  a  block-house  and  fled.  The  great  tragedy 
had  begun  and  ended  in  a  farce.  The  surrender  of 
Hull  was  an  unmitigated  disgrace,  and  the  nation 
turned  towards  Niagara  for  relief.  The  failure  of 
Van  Kensalaer  was  not  unmixed  with  consola- 
tion. He  and  the  officers  and  men  who  bore  the 
brunt  of  that  day's  battle,  had  shown  what  American 
troops  could  do.  Yan  Rensalaer  has  been  charged 
with  acting  rashly,  and  exposing  himself  to  discom- 
fiture, when  success  would  have  been  of  no  advantage. 
But  those  who  suppose  that  a  victory  is  fruitless,  be- 
cause no  importa'it  position  is  gained,  or  territory  is 
wrested  from  the  enemy,  commit  a  vital  error.  They 
forget  that  moral  power  is  half,  even  when  every 


TAN   RENSALAEB. 


119 


thing  depends  on  hard  blows.  When  confidence  is 
lost,  and  despondency  has  taken  the  place  of  courage 
and  hope,  a  battle  that  should  restore  these  would 
be  a  victory,  at  almost  any  sacrifice.  So  Van  Ren- 
salaer  thought,  and  justly.  His  preparations  and 
mode  of  procedure  were  not  careful  and  prudent,  as 
they  should  have  been,  exhibiting  a  want  of  thorough 
ness  which  a  longer  experience  would  have  rectified ; 
Btill,  his  plan  might  have  succeeded  but  for  the  das- 
tardly conduct  of  the  militia,  and  a  new  impulse 
been  given  to  the  movements  along  the  northern 
frontier.  This  cowardly  behavior  of  his  troops  he 
could  not  anticipate,  for  they  had  hitherto  shown 
no  disinclination  to  fight.  At  Hull's  surrender  there 
were  no  indications  of  a  craven  spirit — on  the  con- 
trary, the  soldiers  cursed  their  commander,  and  the 
general  feeling  was,  that  give  the  men  a  gallant 
leader  and  they  would  fight  bravely.  Tan  Rensa- 
laer  knew  that  his  troops  would  not  fail  through 
reluctance  on  his  part  to  lead  them  to  battle,  and  it 
was  enough  to  break  his  noble  heart,  as  he  stood 
bleeding  from  four  wounds,  to  see  them  refuse  to 
come  to  his  rescue. 

General  Smythe's  conduct  admits  of  no  apology. 
His  excuse'  for  countermanding  his  last  order,  after 
the  troops  had  embarked,  is  groundless.  He  says 
that  his  orders  were  strict,  not  to  attempt  an  invasion 
of  Canada  with  less  than  three  thousand  men,  and 


Ifl 


,'  ii 


!    ! 

1  M 
t.  '1 


120 


SECOND   WAR   WITH   ENGLAND. 


that  he  but  fifteen  hundred.  Yet  in  his  last  attempt 
all  but  some  two  hundred  of  his  troops  were  actually 
embarked,  when  he  commanded  them  to  re-land. 
He  was  either  not  aware  how  many  soldiers  com- 
posed his  army  until  he  counted  them  as  they  lay 
off  in  their  boats,  ready  to  pull  for  the  opposite 
shore,  or  he  knew  it  before.  If  the  latter  be  true, 
why  all  this  display,  designed  to  eventuate  in  no- 
thing ?  On  the  other  hand,  the  confession  of  igno- 
rance is  still  worse.  This  much  is  clear,  all  these 
difficulties  and  objections  could  not  have  cjcurred 
to  him  for  the  first  time  when  he  saw  the  army 
drawn  up  on  shore  or  afloat.  The  excuse,  if  honest, 
is  worse  than  the  act  itself. 

Dearborn's  inactivity  furnished  less  salient  points 

of  criticism,  but  it  was  fully  as  culpable  as  Smythe's 

failure.    In  the  first  place,  he  received  orders  from 

the  Secretary  of  "War  to  make  a  diversion  in 

Aug.  1,  ^ 

favor  of  Hull  at  Niagara  and  Kingston,  as 
soon  as  possible.  His  position  might  have  been 
such  that  no  blame  could  attach  to  him  for  not  mak- 
ing such  diversion,  but  nothing  could  warrant  him 
in  entering  into  an  armistice  with  the  enemy,  in 
which  Hull  was  excluded.  If  he  assumed  such 
a  responsibility  in  the  hope  that  peace  would 
be  secured,  he  was  bound  to  make  as  one  of  the 
first  conditions,  that  no  reinforcements  should  be 
sent  to  Maiden  and  Detroit.    One  such  act  is  suffi- 


\\  f  -* 


CONDUCT  OF  DEABBOBN. 


121 


m 
luch 
)uld 
the 

be 
uffi- 


cient  to  cause  the  removal  of  a  commander,  for  he- 
can  never  be  an  equal  match  against  a  shrewd  and 
energetic  enemy.  Prevost  wrote  to  Gen.  Brock: 
"  I  consider  it  most  fortunate  that  I  have  been  able 
to  prosecute  this  object  of  Government,  (the  armis- 
tice,) without  interferi/ng  with  your  operations  on  the 
Detroit,  I  ha/ve  sent  you  men^  moneys  and  stores  of 
all  kindsJ'^  * 

One  cannot  read  this  letter  without  feeling  cha- 
grin that  the  Senior  Major-General  of  the  American 
army  could  be  so  easily  overreached 

In  the  second  place,  his  delay  in  breaking  off  this 
armistice  when  perei  ptorily  ordered  by  govern- 
ment, was  clearly  re^.iehensible,  while  the  fact  that 
with  an  army  of  six  thousand  men  under  his  imme- 
diate command,  ha  accomplished  absolutely  nothing, 
is  incontrovertible  proof  of  his  inefficiency  as  a  com- 
mander. The  isle  of  Aux  Noix  was  considered  the  key 
of  Central  Canada,  and  this  he  could  have  taken  at  any 
moment  and  held  for  future  operations ;  yet  he  went 
into  winter  quarters  without  having  struck  a  blow. 

The  troops,  regular  and  militia,  under  his  gen- 
eral direction,  amounted  in  the  latter  part  of  Sep- 
tember to  thirteen  thousand  men.  Six  thousand 
three  hundred  were  stationed  along  the  Niagara, 
two  thousand  two  hundred  at  Sackett's  Harbor,  and 
five  thousand  on  Lake  Champlain.    To  oppose  this 

*  Vide  Life  and  Services  of  Sir  George  Provost. 


;  I  'H 


l! 


122 


SEGOm)  WAR  WITH  ENOLAITD. 


m 


formidable  force,  Sir  George  Provost  had  not  more 
than  three  thousand  troops,*  and  yet  not  even  a 
battle  had  been  fought,  if  we  except  that  of  Van 
Eensalaer's  detachment,  while  instead  of  gaining  we 
had  lost  both  fortresses  and  territory. 

One  naturally  inquires  what  could  be  the  cause 
of  such  a  complete  failure  where  success  was  deemed 
certain.  In  the  first  place,  there  was  not  a  man 
in  the  cabinet  fit  to  carry  out  a  campaign,  however 
well  planned.  The  sudden  concentration  of  so  large 
a  force  on  our  northern  frontier,  before  reinforce- 
ments could  arrive  from  England,  was  a  wise  move- 
ment, and  ought  to  have  accomplished  its  purpose. 
But  there  the  wisdom  ended,  and  vascillation  and 
doubt  took  the  place  of  promptness,  energy  and 
daring. 

In  the  second  place,  inefficient  commanders  were 
placed  at  the  head  of  our  armies.  Both  Dearborn 
and  Hull  had  been  gallant  officers  in  the  Kevolu- 
tion,  but  they  were  wholly  unaccustomed  to  a  sepa- 
rate command,  and  while  imitating  the  caution  of 
their  great  exemplar,  exhibited  none  of  his  energy 
and  daring.  They  remembered  his  Fabian  inac- 
tivity, but  they  forgot  the  overwhelming  reasons 
that  produced  it,  and  forgot,  also,  Trenton,  Prince- 
ton and  Monmouth. 

In  the  third  place,  the  militia  Tzere  undisciplined 
*  Vide  Armstrong's  Notices  of  the  War  of  1812. 


CAUSES  OF   FAILURE. 


123 


and  could  not  be  relied  upon.  The  insubordination, 
unmilitary  conduct,  and  recklessness  of  rules  which 
force  a  commander  into  extreme  caution,  lest  his  sem- 
blance of  an  army  should  be  annihilated,  are  not 
known  to  the  persons  who  coolly  criticise  him  at  a 
distance.  These  things  are  doubtless  an  ample  ex- 
cuse for  much  that  is  unsparingly  condemned. 
Hence  it  is  unjust  to  pronounce  judgment  on  this  or 
that  action,  because  it  might  apparently  have  been 
avoided,  unless  those  actions  and  the  declarations  of 
their  author  contradict  each  other,  or  stand  con- 
demneu  by  every  interpretation  of  military  rules. 

In  the  commencement  of  the  war  we  had  neither 
an  army  nor  generals  that  could  be  trusted.  The 
troops  lacked  confidence  in  their  leaders,  and  the 
latter  had  no  confidence  in  their  troops.  Such  mu- 
tual distrust  can  result  in  nothing  but  failure.  Our 
commanders  were  in  an  embarrassing  position,  but 
they  ought  to  have  been  aware  that  to  fight  their 
way  out  was  the  only  mode  of  escape  left  them. 
Battles  make  soldiers  and  develope  generals.  In 
the  tumult  and  dangers  of  a  fierce  fight,  the  cool 
yet  daring  officers,  fertile  in  resources,  fierce  in  the 
onset,  and  stubborn  and  unconquered  in  retreat,  are 
revealed,  and  soon  men  are  found  who  will  follow 
where  they  lead,  even  into  hopeless  combat.  A 
spirit  of  emulation  and  valor  succeeds  timidity  and 
distrust. 


^:i! 


■  \ 


m 


124 


SECOND  WAB  WITH  ENGLAND. 


The  administration  at  this  period  was  surrounded 
with  great  and  perplexing  difficulties.  With  but  the 
germ  of  a  military  academy,  efficient  officers  were 
scarce.  The  establishment  of  the  school  at  West 
Point  was  one  of  the  wisest  acts  ever  performed  by 
this  government,  and  the  attempt,  a  few  years  since, 
to  destroy  it,  one  of  the  most  unscrupulous,  reckless 
and  dangerous  ever  put  forth  by  ignorant  dema- 
gogues. Our  volunteers  and  militia  have  confidence 
in  men  bred  to  the  profession  of  arms.  They  yield 
them  ready  obedience — submit  to  rigid  discipline — 
while  the  method  and  skill  with  which  everything 
is  conducted,  impart  confidence  and  steadiness.  A 
country  like  ours  will  never  submit  to  the  expense 
and  danger  of  a  large  standing  army,  nor  do  we 
need  it  if  we  can  keep  well  supplied  with  military 
schools.  A  few  West  Point  officers  on  the  Canada 
frontier  would  have  brought  the  campaign  of  1812 
to  a  different  close. 


f*c-,»« 


■'.  M 


CHAPTER  V. 


J!     i| 


THE  NAVY. 

The  Cabinet  resolves  to  shut  ap  oar  ships  of  war  In  port— Bemonstrance  of 
Captains  BalnbridKe  and  Stuart— Rodxers  ordered  to  sea- Feelinff  of  the  crews — 
Chase  of  the  Belridere— Narrow  escape  of  the  Gonstitntion  fh>m  an  English  fleet— 
Cmise  of  the  Essex— Action  between  the  Cktnstitutlon  and  Oaerriere— EflTect  of 
the  Victory  tn  England  and  the  United  States— United  States  takes  th«  Maoedo< 
nian— Llentenant  Hamilton  carries  the  captnred  colors  to  Washington— Presented 
to  Mrs.  Madison  In  a  ball-room— The  Argus — ^Action  between  the  Wasp  and  Frolio 
—Gonstitntion  captures  the  Java— Hornet  takes  the  Peacock— Effect  of  these 
Victories  abroad. 

Having  gone  through  the  first  campaigns  on  the 
Canadian  frontier,  I  leave  for  awhile  the  army  of 
Harrison,  swallowed  up  in  the  forests  of  Ohio  and 
surrounded  by  the  gloom  of  a  northern  winter,  toil- 
ing its  way  towards  Maiden,  and  turn  with  a  feeling 
of  relief  to  the  conduct  of  our  little  navy  during  the 
summer  that  had  passed. 

As  I  stated  before,  our  naval  force  amounted  to 
but  nine  frigates  and  a  few  sloops  of  war,  while 
Great  Britain  had  a  hundred  ships  of  the  line  in 
commission,  and  more  than  a  thousand  vessels  in  all, 
bearing  the  royal  flag.    Added  to  this  stupendous 


i  I 


'  i 


126 


BEOOND  WAB  WITH  ENOLAND. 


It  it: 


/SiiiSii 


difference  in  the  number  of  ships,  was  the  moral 
power  attached  to  the  universally  acknowledged  su- 
periority of  the  British  navy.  England  was  recog- 
nized mistress  of  the  seas.  The  Heets  of  Spain, 
France  and  Holland  had  one  after  another  submitted 
to  her  sway,  and  fresh  with  still  greater  laurels  won 
under  Nelson,  her  navy  was  looked  upon  as  irresist- 
ible. A  naval  contest  on  our  part,  therefore,  was 
not  dreamed  of,  and  hence  arose  the  determination 
on  the  part  of  the  Administration  at  Washington,  to 
convert  our  frigates  into  mere  floating  batteries  for 
the  protection  of  harbors.  But  it  must  be  remem- 
bered, weak  as  our  navy  appeared,  it  was  stronger 
at  the  the  declaration  of  war  than  the  whole  British 
force  on  our  coast.  "We  had  ships  enough  to  block- 
ade Halifax  and  Bermuda,  and  bear  undisputed 
sway  until  reinforcements  could  be  sent  across  the 
Atlantic.  Our  privateers  in  the  revolution — the 
conduct  of  our  ships  in  the  Bay  of  Tripoli  had  given 
evidence  of  what  could  be  done,  and  the  determina- 
tion of  the  Cabinet,  therefore,  to  lay  up  the  ships  of 
war  before  their  metal  had  been  tested — ^to  leave  the 
waters  around  our  coast  vexed  with  British  cruisers, 
when  at  least  for  six  weeks  we  could  have  kept  them 
clear  of  the  enemy,  and  in  all  probability  captured 
their  entire  squadron  on  the  American  station,  is  an- 
other painful  evidence  of  the  utter  incapacity  of  the 
administration  to  carry  on  the  war.    If,  in  anticipa- 


!•:  ■'■*!■      •;ifi 


N£X}LUOT  OF  TH£  NAVY. 


127 


tion  of  hostilities,  our  wliolo  fleet  had  been  collected 
and  2)ut  in  such  order  that  it  could  have  sailed  at  an 
liour's  notice,  results  would  have  been  accomplished 
far  greater  than  those  which  followed. 

Against  our  nine  frigates,  the  President,  United 
States,  and  Constellation,  of  the  first  class,  the  Con- 
gress, Constitution,  and  the  Chesapeake  of  the 
second,  the  Essex,  Adams,  Boston  and  New  York,* 
together  with  several  smaller  vessels,  there  were 
on  the  Halifax  station  but  five  frigates  and  some 
smaller  vessels.  The  Africa,  sixty-four,  was  the  only 
two  decker  on  our  coast,  in  active  service.  The 
Halifax  station  could  have  been  reinforced  by  the 
other  two  stations,  the  Jamaica  and  Leeward  Island, 
but  not  within  a  month,  which  would  have  given  us 
an  opportunity  of  cutting  them  up  in  detail.  Eng- 
land, at  this  time,  was  so  occupied  with  the  momen- 
tous affairs  in  Europe,  that  she  kept  her  fleets  on  the 
eastern  board  of  the  Atlantic,  and  ignorant  of  our 
naval  strength,  supposed  the  ships  on  the  Halifax 
station  more  than  a  match  for  the  whole  American 
navy.  Had  the  British  fleet  on  this  coast  been  cap- 
tured, and  an  alliance  offensive  and  defensive  formed 
with  France,  we  should  have  struck  the  maritime 
power  of  England  a  blow  from  which   she  never 

*  The  Boston  and  New  York  were  not  ready  for  sea,  but  could 
and  would  have  been,  had  there  been  a  determination  on  the  part 
of  the  Government  to  use  the  navy. 


M 


&;t 


128 


SECOND   WAU   WITH   iSNGLAND. 


liHIl 


1 


would  have  recovered.  But  the  outcries  of  the  Fed- 
eralists filled  the  administration  with  as  much  dread 
of  French  alliance,  as  it  entertained  of  the  naval 
power  of  England. 

Not  only  was  the  American  Government  innocent 
of  all  such  plans  for  the  navy,  but  it  did  not  even 
provide  for  the  merchantmen  which  might  be  ap- 
proaching the  American  coast,  and  liable  to  be  caj)- 
tured  by  the  most  contemptible  cruiser  that  sailed 
unmolested  along  our  shores.  No  nation  ever  be- 
fore had  the  opportunity  of  doing  so  much  with 
small  means,  as  circumstances  placed  in  the  hands 
of  the  American  Government  at  the  commencement 
of  the  war,  and  threw  it  away  so  foolishly,  so  unpar- 
donably. 

The  insane  project  to  lay  up  the  American  ships 
in  harbor,  was  defeated  by  two  naval  officers,  to 
whom  the  nation  owes  perpetual  gratitude.  Captains 
Bainbridge  and  Stewart  were  at  Washington  when 
the  subject  was  under  discussion,  and  being  shown 
the  written  orders  to  Commodore  Rodgers,  to  keep 
his  fleet  in  the  harbor  of  New  York,  as  a  part  of  its 
defence,  they  sought  an  interview  with  the  Secretary 
of  the  Navy,  and  boldly  remonstrated  against  this 
death-blow  to  the  navy.  "  If  laid  up  in  war,  who 
would  support  it  in  peace  ? "  Although  told  that  the 
thing  was  settled,  so  far  as  regarded  the  fleet  in  New 
York  Bay,  they  appealed  with  still  greater  urgency, 


BALNBBIDOE   AND  STEWART. 


129 


and  in  the  true  spirit  of  thoir  profession,  declared 
that  the  American  commanders  were  capable  of 
taking  care  of  their  own  ships ;  nay,  in  noble  enthu- 
siasm asserted,  that  eight  times  out  of  ten,  an  Amer- 
ican frigate  would  capture  an  antagonist  of  equal 
metal. 

The  secretary  was  moved  by  their  appeal,  backed 
as  it  was  with  solid  argument,  and  took  them  to  see 
the  President.  They  made  to  him  the  same  state- 
ments which  had  so  deeply  impressed  the  Secretary 
of  the  Navy.  Moreover,  they  promised  victories,  a 
dream  which  had  never  visited  the  brain  of  a  mem- 
ber of  the  cabinet.  "  Eight  times  out  of  ten,"  said 
they,  "  with  equal  force  we  can  hardly  fail — our 
men  are  better  men,  and  better  disciplined ;  our 
midshipmen  are  not  mere  boys,  only  fit  to  carry 
orders,  but  young  men  capable  of  reflection  and  ac- 
tion. Our  guns  are  sighted,  which  is  an  improve- 
ment of  our  own  the  English  know  nothing  of. 
While  we  can  fire  cannon  with  as  sure  an  aim  as 
musketry,  or  almost  rifles,  striking  twice  out  of 
every  three  shots,  they  must  fire  at  random,  without 
sight  of  their  object  or  regard  to  the  undulations  of 
the  sea,  shooting  over  our  heads,  seldom  hulling  us 
or  even  hitting  our  decks.  "We  may  be  captured, 
and  probably  shall  be,  even  after  taking  prizes  from 
them,  because  their  numbers  are  so  much  greater 
than  ours.    But  the  American  flag  will  nevel:  be 


11 


130 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


dishonored,  seldom  if  ever  struck  to  equal  force."^ 

4 

The  President,  as  well  as  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy, 
was  swept  away  by  the  arguments  and  gallant  spirit 
of  those  officers,  and  suddenly  remembered  the  dar- 
ing and  success  of  the  few  ships  of  war  and  the 
privateersmen  during  the  Revolution. 

Seeing  their  advantage,  these  officers  pressed  it 
with  redoubled  energy,  until  the  President  called  a 
meeting  of  the  cabinet  to  consult  on  the  matter. 
But  Mr.  Gallatin,  to  whose  sagacity  and  foresight 
all  paid  the  most  profound  deference,  treated  the 
project  as  absurd.  He  had  studied  European  affairs 
too  much,  and  the  rising  genius  of  this  country  too 
little.  Like  many  other  wise  statesmen,  he  could 
not  introduce  into  the  elements  from  which  he 
drew  his  conclusions,  the  gallant  spirit,  lofty  enthu- 
siasm and  indomitable  courage,  which  then  per- 
vaded our  little  navy.  He  saw  only  the  tremendous 
maritime  preponderance  against  us,  and  hence,  with 
all  his  patriotism  and  wisdom,  acted  as  a  perpetual 
clog  to  the  government  till  he  was  sent  abroad,  and 
his  counsels  could  no  longer  influence  the  cabinet. 

But  his  advice  that  all  maritime  efforts  should  be 
confined  to  privateers,  prevailed,  and  Bainbridge 
and  Stewart  were  told  that  the  decision  which  had 
been  made  respecting  the  national  ships,  could  not 
be  changed.  Undaunted  by  their  repulse,  they 
*  Vide  Ingersoll's  History  of  the  War  of  1812. 


MADISON  ORDERS  THE  SHIPS  TO  SEA. 


131 


spent  nearly  the  whole  night  after  this  resolve  had 
been  made  known  to  them,  in  drawing  up  a  remon- 
strance to  the  President.  Having  witnessed  the 
eftect  of  their  personal  appeal  to  him,  they  deter- 
mined to  address  him  once  more  by  letter. 

The  language  of  that  address  was  not  softened  by 
well  rounded  periods,  but  plain  and  direct,  placed 
the  subject  in  its  true  aspect  before  Mr.  Madison, 
and  put  on  him  as  Chief  Magistrate  of  the  Union, 
the  responsibility  of  keeping  the  navy  from  its  legit- 
imate field  of  action.  When  this  joint  communica- 
tion was  laid  before  the  Secretary  of  the  N^avy,  he 
objected  to  it  as  too  strong  and  stern  to  present  to 
the  President,  and  advised  them  to  modify  its  lan- 
guage. They  refused  to  do  so,  and  Mr.  Madison 
instead  of  being  offended  at  their  plainness  of 
speech,  took  upon  himself  the  responsibility  of  act- 
ing independent  of  his  cabinet,  and  assured  them 
the  vessels  should  be  ordered  to  sea.  No  one  can 
tell  the  joy  of  these  brave  men,  when  they  found 
the  navy  they  loved  so  well,  was  not  to  be  dishon- 
ored, and  elate  with  pride,  determined  that  the  flag 
they  had  so  long  carried  over  the  sea,  should  never 
be  struck  but  with  honor. 

The  naval  officers  knew  that  the  country  reposed 
no  confidence  in  its  marine  force,  and  Captains 
Bain  bridge  and  Stewart,  anticipating  the  doom  they 
had  struggled  so  noble  to  avert,  had  determined  to 


*  w 


J1- 

IK' 


-    I! 


ia2 


NlHOuNh    WAli    Wnii    IDNMI.ANn. 


^o  to  mm,  ill  II  |>i'iviiliuii'  wlii(*.li  llio  liiMiir  liiid  pur 
olmmHl.^  With  II  IiuikI  oI'  liiinly  Moiunni  uImiuI, 
iliotii,  iuhI  oiioii  Horviiif^  in  rotiiMnii  uh  cHpliiin  iiiid 
lli'Ht  oDicnr,  \\\i^y  wmAviM  lo  <<liiitii  IImi  ligiii  of 
ilio  AnKM'icnii  llii^;  («»lli(^  liifjrii  m(Mih.-)' 

Al  IIiIm  liiiio  llioni  worn  in  llio  |mii'1,  of  Nnw  Yoi'l(, 
ilio  i'roHidont,  lorl^'ioiir;  I<!hmox,  tJiirtylwo;  himI 
llonirl,  ri^lilriMi  ;  lo  wliii'li,  on  ili<i  *^  I  Mi  of  1111110, 
>voro  iul«lo«l  llio  HiiiltMl  SliiloH,  iurlyToiir;  (Jmi^roHM, 
iltirty  oi^lil.;  iind  ArguH,  Hixtiuui,  iill  rniKiy  to  huII  in 
Hii  liourV  notioo,  witli  tiio  oxot^ption  of  tlio  Khm(<x, 
wlurli  wuK  iH^pnirinm  Ium*  rijt^^lnpf  iuhI  nwt.owiiig  linr 
hold.  Am  Moon  iiH  tlio  I'ri^MidtMit^  liiid  (ioti^'ininiHl  to 
Hond  1 1)0  voMMidM  to  mimi,  tiiJM  H(|nii<lron  whm  put.  iiimIoi* 
tlio  tM>ninuunl  «)t'(^MUin(Hloi'o  l^»go^M,  iiini  liooniotHMJ 
io  got  umlor  way  nt  onco,  lunl  inton'opi,  11  lurgti  tUu^l, 
of  •Itinuiira  tnon  wliioii  vvuro  iH^portod  toliiivo  Hiiilod, 
nud  by  tliin  tiino  Hlioiild  bo  otV  tlio  Ainori(Min  (MuiHt. 
An  hour  utVor  ('onimodoro  Itogorn  rocoivod  Ih'h 
orders,  ho  was  loading  liirt  Hipuidron  down  tlio  liay, 
und  8oon  liis  oanvaH  iliMappoarod  in  tlio  diHtanco. 

Fi\>n»  the  joy  that  porvadod  HiIh  liUlo  Bfpuuh'on, 
as  tho  sails  woro  givon  to  tho  wind,  one  would  havo 


*  Ttu>  Surtpi»or.  which,  uiuUt  IVrcufrino  (Jrooii,  wiia  soon  al'tor 
cnptiuxnl  otTlho  (^i^H^s  »)f  Iho  Dolawuro. 

t  Vuto  Ooopor's  Nrtval  History;  ITiinis'  Lifo  of  IJainbridgo ; 
Moiuoir  of  Comminlon^  Hli'wart ;  Naval  Cltroiiiclo ;  and  Ingor- 
soU's  riistory  of  tho  War  of  1812. 


tvmmr.im  nvtn  to  mi'.a. 


i»a 


iiiHtoiul  of  to  iinrv|iuil  (irid  (h^iidly  Htrif'o  witJi  iiri 
uiioiiiy.  Ill  (lio  ^iillfuii  liourtw  iluii  trori  ihoMo  tUwkHy 
it\\HU)(\  tioiMi  ol'  till)  iiniiHily  arid  iminmi  tiiut/ 
w<fi/<lMMl  down  ilio  p;ov()riitiMirit.  litem  wan  not 
irMii'<;l,y  tlio  (Idtitrtiiiiiat.iori  of  bravo  rrK;ri  aider- 
\u^  oil  a  (l(m|M)mto  r;oiiili(;t,  hut  tlu;  l>ijoyari(;y  of 
(•onlidiiiKMi,  tlid  joy  of  tlioHo  who  wcro  Up  wi];*}  ont 
with  thdir  hoavy  h-roadHifhtH  the  irnpiitatioriH  <;aHt  on 
thoin  by  thoir  own  (^MititryirMifi,  an<l  liimh  for<;v«?r, 
with  their  Hlioutw  of  vi(;tory,  the  hoantinp;  and  mock- 
ery of  their  foe.  The  Haih^rH  partook  of  th<5  exeite- 
ineiit,  for  it  was  a  eornnion  en<?iriy  a/^ainHt  which 
tliey  were  /jjoing-  -the  oppreHHor  of  Hearricn  an  well 
hH  the  invad(5r  of  national  ri^htH.  Hayn  a  fnidnhifi- 
iniiii  on  hoard  the  Hornet,  in  hiH  Diary:  "'Hiin 
iriortiing  the  dechiratir)n  of  war  hy  the  United 
Ktat(!H  af^aiiiHt  (Injat  Britain  was  r(;ad.  *  *  ♦ 
At  ton  oV-h»ek,'  A.  M.,  (vornrnodore  ftodgerB  liovo 
out  the  sigiml  to  weigli ;  never  was  anchor  to  the 
cathead  sooner,  nor  topsail  slieeted  home*  to  the 
niastliead  with  more  dispatch,  than  upon  the  present 
occanion  ;  the  Hmalhist  hoy  on  hoard  seems  anxious 
to  meet  what  is  now  looked  upon  as  the  common 
tyrant  of  the  ocean,  for  they  had  heard  the  woeful 
talcs  of  the  older  tars.  *  *  When  the  ship  was 
under  way.  Captain  Lawrence  had  the  crew  called 
*  Vide  Ingcraoll'H  History  of  the  War. 


if.    ■*  '■ 


134 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  EITOLAND. 


•    ,m 


Jane  93. 


to  their  quarters,  and  told  them  that  if  there  were 
any  amongst  them  who  were  disaffected,  or  one 
that  had  not  rather  sink  than  surrender  to  the  ene- 
my, with  gun  for  gun,  that  he  should  be  immedi- 
ately and  uninjured,  landed  and  sent  back  in  the 
pilot  boat.  The  reply  fore  and  aft  was — not  one." 
Not  one  hesitating  voice,  but  instead,  three  hearty 
cheers,  that  made  the  vessel  ring.  With  such  a 
spirit  did  the  first  squadron  put  to  sea,  and  make  its 
first  claim,  at  the  cannon's  mouth,  to  equal  rights. 
Two  days  after,  Rodgers  discovered,  at  six 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  an  English  frigate 
to  the  north-east,  and  instantly  crowded  sail  in  pur- 
suit. The  chase  led  down  the  wind,  and  the  Presi- 
dent being  a  fast  sailer  when  going  free,  soon  gained 
on  the  stranger,  leaving  the  squadron  far  astern.  At 
four  o'clock  she  got  within  gun-shot,  but  the  wind 
falling,  gave  the  enemy  the  advantage,  and  Rodgers 
seeing  that  he  no  longer  gained  on  the  chase,  at- 
tempted to  cripple  it.  The  first  gun  was  pointed  by 
the  commodore  himself,  the  shot  of  which  struck 
the  English  frigate  in  the  stem,  and  passed  on  into 
the  gun-room.  This  was  the  first  hostile  gun  fired 
on  the  sea  after  war  was  declared.  "The  second  was 
pointed  by  Lieutenant  Gamble,  which  also  struck 
the  enemy.  The  third  shot,  directed  by  Rodgers 
himself,  killed  two  men  and  wounded  five  others. 
At  the  fourth  shot,  fired  by  Lieutenant  Gamble,  the 


0HA8B  OF  THE  BELVIDERA. 


185 


)) 


gun  bursted)  killing  and  wounding  sixteen  men. 
Tlie  Commodore  was  flung  into  the  air  by  the  explo- 
sion, and  fell  back  on  deck  with  such  violence  that 
his  leg  was  broken.  The  enemy  took  heart  at  this 
unexpected  accident,  and  opened  his  fire.  The  Pres- 
ident, however,  soon  began  to  heave  her  shot  again 
with  such  precision,  that  the  British  frigate  was  com- 
pelled to  cut  away  her  anchors,  throw  overboard  her 
boats,  and  spring  fourteen  tons  of  water  in  order  to 
lighten  her.  She  was  by  these  means  enabled  to  gain 
on  her  pursuers.  Commodore  Kodgers  finding  the 
distance  between  them  increasing,  fired  three  broad- 
sides, which  falling  short,  he  abandoned  the  chase. 
The  loss  of  the  President,  in  killed  and  wounded,  was 
twenty-two,  only  six  of  whom  were  damaged  by  the 
shot  of  the  enemy.  The  Belvidera,  for  such  she  was 
afterwards  ascertained  to  be,  reported  seven  killed  and 
wounded.  After  repairing  damages  Kodgers  again 
cruised  for  the  Jamaica  men,  and  at  length  supposing 
he  had  got  in  their  wake,  kept  on  until  near  the  mouth 
of  the  English  Channel,  when  seeeing  nothing  of 
them,  he  returned  by  way  of  Maderia  and  the  Western 
Islands  to  Boston.  It  was  a  barren  cruise,  only 
seven  merchantmen  being  taken  during  the  whole 
seventy  days  the  squadron  was  absent. 

In  the  mean  time  the  report  of  the  Belvidera, 
which  had  put  into  Halifax,  caused  the  enemy  to 
collect  a  fleet,  which  early  in  July  was  off  New  York, 


;■  i 


'  ■  I 
1 


136 


SECOND  WAB  WITH  ENQLAKD. 


July  1». 


where  it  captured  a  great  many  American  merchant- 
men. Among  the  prizes  was  the  schooner  Nautilus, 
the  first  vessel  of  war  taken  on  eitlier  side.  While 
the  squadron  was  thus  cruising  off  the  coast,  in  the 
hope  of  meeting  the  American  fleet  under  Eodgers, 
the  Constitution,  a  forty-four,  sailed  from  An- 
napolis on  her  way  to  New  York.  Her  crew 
was  newly  shipped,  a  hundred  men  having  joined 
her  on  the  night  before  she  sailed.  The  orders 
which  Captain  Hull,  the  commander,  received  from 
the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  exhibit  the  timidity  and 
weakness  of  the  Government.  In  the  first  place, 
after  giving  directions  respecting  the  destination  of 
the  ship,  he  said :  "  I  am  informed  that  the  Belvi- 
dera  is  in  our  waters,  but  you  are  not  to  understand 
me  as  impelling  you  to  battle  previously  to  your 
having  confidence  in  your  crew,  unless  attacked,  or 
with  a  reasonable  prospect  of  success,  of  which  you 
are  to  be  at  your  discretion  the  judge.  In  a  later 
order  he  says :  "  If  on  your  way  thither  (i.  e.  from 
Annapolis  to  New  York)  you  should  fall  in  with  the 
enemy's  vessel,  you  will  be  guided  in  your  proceed- 
ing by  your  own  judgment,  bearing  in  mind,  how- 
ever, that  you  are  not  voluntarily  to  encounter  a  force 
superior  to  your  own."  One  can  imagine  the  smile 
of  contempt  that  curled  the  lip  of  the  stem  com- 
mander of  the  Constitution,  when  he  received  this 
pitiful  order,  so  well  adapted  in  its  tone  and  Ian- 


THE  CONSTrrUTION   CHASED. 


137 


guage  to  make  timorous  officers,  and  hence  ensure 
defeat.  The  Secretary  had  witnessed  the  confidence 
and  daring  spirit  of  Bainbridge  and  Stewart,  and  he 
was  afraid  such  men  would  fight,  when  prudence 
would  dictate  flight.  But  he  might  have  known 
that  when  officers  like  them  were  once  fairly  out  to 
sea,  on  the  decks  of  their  own  ships,  beneath  their 
own  flag  streaming  aloft,  they  would  pay  no  more 
attention  to  orders  like  the  above,  than  to  the  sigh- 
ing of  the  wind  tlirough  their  cordage. 

On  the  17th  the  Constitution  was  out  of  sight  of 
land,  though  still  within  soundings  and  going  under 
easy  canvas,  when  at  two  o'clock  she  discovered  four 
sail  in  the  north.  At  four  she  discovered  another  a 
little  to  the  eastward  of  the  first.  Towards  evening, 
the  wind  blowing  light  from  the  southward,  the  Con- 
stitution beat  to  quarters  and  cleared  for  action.  At 
ten  o'clock  she  showed  the  private  signal,  which 
remained  unanswered ;  and  concluding  she  had  fallen 
in  with  a  squadron  of  the  enemy,  made  all  sail. 
Just  before  day-break  the  Guerriere,  one  of  the  fleet, 
sent  up  a  rocket  and  fired  two  guns.  As  the  light 
broadened  over  the  deep,  Capt.  Hull,  who  was  anx- 
iously on  the  look-out,  discerned  seven  ships  closing 
steadily  upon  him.  This  was  the  squadron  of  Com- 
modore Broke,  consisting  of  the  Africa  64,  Guerriere 
38,  Shannon  38,'  Belvidera  36,  Eolus  32,  together 
with  the  captured  Nautilus  and  a  schooner.    As  the 


,  f 


188 


SECOND  WAB  WITH   ENGLAND. 


sun  rose  over  the  ocean  and  lifted  the  mist  that  lay 
on  the  water,  Capt.  Hull  had  a  full  view  of  his  posi- 
tion. Two  frigates  were  beating  down  from  the 
north  upon  him,  while  the  Africa,  two  frigates,  a 
brig  and  schooner  were  following  in  his  wake,  and 
all  with  English  colors  flying.  To  increase  the  pain- 
ful uncertainty  that  now  hung  over  the  fate  of  his 
vessel,  the  breeze  which  had  been  light  all  night  en- 
tirely died  away,  and  the  sails  flapped  idly  against 
the  masts.  Hull,  however,  resolved  that  his  ship 
should  not  be  lost,  if  human  energy  and  skill  could 
save  her,  and  immediately  sent  all  his  boats  forward 
to  tow.  But  he  soon  found  that  the  enemy,  by  put- 
ting the  boats  of  two  ships  on  one,  were  slowly  closing 
on  him.  He  then  took  all  the  rope  he  could  spare 
and  run  a  kedge  out  nearly  a  half  a  mile  ahead 
and  dropped  it.  The  crew  seized  the  rope,  and 
springing  to  it  with  a  will,  soon  made  the  ship  walk 
through  the  water.  As  she  came  up  with  the  kedge 
she  overran  it,  and  while  still  moving  on  imder  the 
headway  she  had  obtained,  another  kedge  was  car- 
ried ahead,  and  the  noble  vessel  glided  away,  as  if 
by  magic,  from  her  pursuers.  It  was  not  long,  how- 
ever, before  the  enemy  discovered  the  trick  the  Yan- 
kee was  playing,  and  began  also  to  kedge.  A  little 
air  was  felt  at  half-past  seven,  but  at  eight  it  fell  calm 
again,  when  the  vessels  resorted  to  boats,  long  sweeps 
and  the  kedge.   The  Shannon,  which  was  astern,  hav- 


PEBIL  OF  THE  CONSTITUTION. 


139 


ing,  at  last,  got  most  of  the  boats  of  the  squadron  on 
her,  slowly  gained  on  the  Constitution,  while  the 
Guerriere  was  walking  down  on  her  larboard  quar- 
ter. The  prospect  for  the  American  was  now  gloomy 
enough — there  was  scarcely  a  ray  of  hope.  The  un- 
ruffled sea  seemed  to  heave  in  mockery  of  the 
anguish  of  those  whose  every  thought  was  a  prayer 
for  wind,  and  slowly,  like  the  unpitying  approach  of 
death,  the  hostile  fleet  kept  closing  on  that  helpless 
ship.  One  more  hour  like  the  last,  would  bring  her 
under  the  guns  of  two  frigates.  Still,  there  was  not 
a  craven  heart  within  those  ribs  of  oak.  Each  man, 
as  he  looked  sternly  on  his  comrade,  read  in  his  face 
the  determination  to  fight  while  a  gun  was  left. 
Hull,  chafing  at  his  desperate  position,  resolved  to 
close  fiercely  with  the  first  vessel  that  approached  ; 
and  judging  from  his  after  conduct,  he  would  have 
made  wild  work  with  his  antagonist.  The  men  in 
the  boats  strove  nobly,  but  it  was  a  contest  of  mere 
physical  strength,  in  which  there  was  not  the  least 
hope  of  success.  But  adverse  fate  seemed  at  last  to 
relent,  and  a  light  breeze  sprung  up  from  the  south- 
ward. Hull  no  sooner  saw  it  approaching  on  the 
water  than  he  ordered  the  sails  to  be  trimmed,  and 
the  moment  the  vessel  felt  its  gentle  pressure,  she 
was  brought  up  into  the  wind — the  boats  fell  along- 
side and  were  hoisted  to  their  davits  or  swung,  just 
clear  of  the  water — the  men  working  coolly  at  their 


^'v 


•  '1  ■ : 


Ml? 


140 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


I  'I 


In 


posts,  although  the  shot  of  the  Guerriere  were  dash- 
ing the  sea  into  spray  around  them. 

But  in  an  hour  it  again  fell  nearly  calm,  and  the 
boats  were  once  more  put  on.  The  crew  strove  to  make 
up  by  eifort  what  they  lacked  in  force,  but  the  Shan- 
non steadily  gained.  With  the  exception  of  a  little 
rest  obtained  when  slight  breezes  struck  the  vessel, 
the  me!n  were  kept  incessantly  at  work  all  the  day. 
At  two  o'clock,  the  Belvidera  opened  with  her  bow 
guns,  to  which  the  Constitution  responded  with  her 
stem  chasers.  In  half-an-hour,  however.  Captain 
Hull  ordered  the  firing  ;;o  cease,  and  the  men  were 
again  ordered  to  the  boats,  and  rowing  and  kedging 
were  kept  up  till  eleven  at  night.  They  were  fast 
becoming  exhausted  under  the  tremendous  strain 
that  had  been  put  upon  them  since  early  in  the 
morning,  when  to  their  great  relief  a  breeze  sprung 
up,  and  every  sail  that  would  draw  was  set.  It 
lasted,  however,  only  for  an  hour.  At  midnight,  it 
was  calm  again ;  but  the  crews  of  both  vessels  had 
been  overtasked,  and  no  boats  were  sent  oui 
In  the  morning,  Captain  Hull  discovered  that  some 
of  the  vessels  had  gained  on  him,  and  four  frigates 
were  within  long  gun  shot.  It  was  now  apparent 
that  the  least  unfavorable  change  would  settle  the 
fate  of  the  Constitution.  The  officers  had  snatched 
a  little  sleep  at  their  posts,  and  were  ready  to  defend 
their  flag  to   the  last.    It  was  a  lovely  summer 


THE  OONBTITUTION  EBCAPEg. 


141 


morning)  and  as  the  orb  of  day  slowly  rolled  into 
view,  it  lighted  up  a  scene  of  thrilling  interest  and 
tran8cendant  beauty.  The  ocean  lay  slumbering  in 
majestic  repose,  reflecting  from  its  unruffled  bosom 
the  cloudless  sky.  A  light  breeze  was  fanning  the 
sea,  and  every  stitch  of  canvas  that  would  draw  was 
set.  All  the  vessels  had  now  got  on  the  same  tack, 
the  gallant  American  leading  the  van.  ^^  The  five 
frigates  were  clouds  of  canvas  from  their  trucks  to 
the  water,"  as  slowly  and  proudly  they  swept 
along  the  deep.  The  Constitution  looked  back  on 
her  eager  pursuers,  each  eye  on  her  decks  watching 
the  relative  speed  of  the  vessels,  and  each  heart 
praying  for  wind.  But,  at  noon,  it  again  fell  calm, 
when  the  Belvedera  was  found  to  be  two  miles  and 
a  half  astern,  the  next  frigate  three  miles  distant, 
and  the  others  still  farther  to  leeward.  This  was  a 
great  gain  on  the  position  of  the  day  before,  and  with 
a  steady  breeze,  there  would  be  no  doubt  of  the 
issue.  About  half-past  twelve,  a  light  wind  sprung 
np,  and  although  it  kept  unsteady  during  the  after- 
noon, it  was  evident  the  Constitution  was  walking 
away  from  her  pursuers.  Every  sail  was  tended, 
and  every  rope  watched  with  scrupulous  care,  that 
showed  the  American  frigate  to  be  a  thorough  man 
of  war.  The  day  which  had  been  so  beautiful 
threatened  a  stormy  closCj^  for  a  heavy  squall  ras 
rising  out  of  the  southern  sea.    Captain  Hull  nar- 


il 


j 


n 


I 


ft 

r  \ 
11 


i  I 


i' '  ^  i  i: 


f 


•It  ' 
m  i    ', 


!| 


143 


SECOND   WAR   WITH   ENGLAND. 


if'i  '-■ 


rowly  watched  its  approach,  with  every  man  at  the 
clew  lines.    Just  before  it  struck  the  ship,  the  order 
was  given,  and  the  vessel  was  stripped  of  her  can- 
vas as  by  a  single  blow.    The  British  vessels  began 
to  take  in  sail  without  waiting  for  the  near  approach 
of  the  squall.    As  soon  as  the  strength  of  the  galo 
had  been  felt,  the  Constitution  was  again  put  under 
a  press  of  canvas,  and  bowing  gracefully,  as  if  iu 
gratitude   to   the   rising  sea,  she  flung  the  foam 
joyfully  from    her    bows,   and  was    soon  rushing 
through  the  water  at  the  rate  of  eleven  knots  an 
hour.    When  the  rain  cloud  had  passed,  and  an  ob- 
servation of  the  enemy's  ships  could  be  obtained, 
they  were  far  astern,  and  with  the  last  rays  of  the 
setting  sun,  the  Constitution  bade  farewell  to  her 
pursuers.    It  was  gallantly  and  gloriously  done. 

Cool  and  steady  action  on  the  part  of  the  com- 
mander, met  by  corresponding  conduct  on  the  part 
of  the  officers  and  crew,  thorough  seamanship  ex- 
hibited in  every  manoeuvre  she  attempted,  saved  the 
noble  vessel  from  capture.  What  a  contrast  does 
this  conduct  of  the  nephew,  thus  surrounded  by  a 
superior  force  and  beset  with  apparently  insurmount- 
able difficulties,  present  to  that  of  the  uncle  at  De- 
troit. In  the  one,  desperate  circumstances  produced 
great  effort,  in  the  other  none  at  all.  One  with  no 
thought  of  surrendering,  while  a  spar  was  left  stand- 
ing, the  other  meekly  laying  down  his  arms  without 


CBUI8B  OF  THE  ESSEX. 


148 


firing  a  shot.    Shortly  after,  the  Constitntion  arrived 
in  Boston. 

Previous  to  the  sailing  of  this  vessel  from  Annap- 
olis, the  Essex,  under  Capt.  Porter,  having  been  got 
ready  for  sea  at  New  York,  started  on  a  cruise  to 
the  southward.  Making  several  prizes  of  merchant- 
men, she  again  stood  to  the  southward,  when  she 
fell  in  with  a  fleet  of  British  transports,  convoyed 
by  a  frigate  and  bomb  vessel.  She  endeavored  to 
get  along  side  of  the  former,  but  one  of  the  trans- 
ports which  Capt.  Porter  had  spoken,  threatening  to 
make  signal  to  the  other  vessels,  he  was  obliged  to 
tako  possession  of  her.  To  accomplish  this,  as  the 
prize  had  a  hundred  and  fifty  soldiers  aboard,  con- 
sumed so  much  time  that  the  rest  of  the  fleet  es- 
caped. 

The  Essex  having  disguised  herself  as  a  mer- 
chant man  continued  her  cruise,  and  in  a  few 
days  discovered  a  strange  sail,  which,  deceived 
by  her  appearance,  boldly  attacked  her.  The 
latter  having  got  the  enemy  in  close  range, 
knocked  out  her  ports,  which  had  been  closed,  and 
poured  in  her  broadsides.  This  sudden  metamor- 
phosis and  tremendous  firing  completely  stunned  the 
stranger,  and  he  immediately  hauled  down  his  colors. 
The  prize  proved  to  be  the  ship  Alert,  mounting 
twenty-two  eighteen-pound  carronades.     This  was 


1 


r 


M 


k  J 


}.'■ 


144 


SECOND  WAE  WITH   ENGLAND. 


i& 


the  first  British  war  vessel  taken  by  an  American 
cruiser. 

Captain  Porter  having  converted  the  Alert  into  a 
cartel,  sent  her  with  the  prisoners  into  St.  John's. 
The  English  Admiral,  at  Newfoimdland,  remon- 
strated against  this  course,  as  it  deprived  the  British 
of  the  chances  of  recapture  before  entering  an  Ameri- 
can port.  He  however  could  not  well  refuse  to 
carry  oi^t  the  arrangements  which  the  Captain  of 
the  Alert  had  entered  into. 

The  Essex,  after  an  unsuccessful  cruise  and  some 
narrow  escapes,  finally  reached  the  Delaware,  where 
she  replenished  her  stores. 

On  the  28th  of  July  an  order  was  sent  from  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  to  Capt.  Hull,  at  Boston,  to 
deliver  up  the  Constitution  to  Commodore  Bain- 
bridge,  and  take  charge  of  the  frigate  Constellation. 
But  fortunately  for  him  and  the  navy,  just  before 
this  order  reached  him  he  had  again  set  sail, 
and  was  out  on  the  deep,  where  the  anxieties 
of  the  department  could  not  disturb  him.  Cruising 
eastward  along  the  coast,  he  captured  ten  small 
prizes  near  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Lawrence  and 
burned  them.  In  the  middle  of  the  month  he  recap- 
tured an  American  merchantman  and  sent  her  in, 
and  then  stood  to  the  southward.  On  the  19th  ho 
made  a  strange  sail,  one  of  the  vessels  that  a  few 
weeks  before  had  pressed  him  so  hard  in  the  chase. 


Ang.  a. 


THE  OONSTrrunON   ANP  OUERBIEBE. 


145 


When  the  Constitution  had  run  down  to  within  three 
miles  of  him,  the  Englishman  laid  his  maintop  sail 
aback,  and  hung  out  three  flags,  to  show  his  willing- 
ness to  engage.  Capt.  Dacres,  the  commander,  sur- 
prised at  the  daring  manner  in  which  the  stranger 
came  down,  turned  to  the  captain  of  an  American 
merchantman  whom  he  had  captured  a  few  days  be- 
fore, and  asked  him  what  vessel  he  took  that  to  be. 
The  latter  replied,  as  he  handed  back  the  glass  to 
Dacres,  that  he  thought  from  her  sails  she  was  an 
American.  It  cannot  be  possible,  said  Dacres,  or 
he  would  not  stand  on  so  boldly.  It  was  soon  evi- 
dent, whoever  the  stranger  might  be,  he  was  bent  on 
mischief.  Hull  prepared  his  vessel  for  action  delib- 
erately, and  after  putting  her  under  close  fighting 
canvas  and  sending  down  her  royal  yards,  ordered 
the  drums  to  beat  to  quarters.  It  was  now  five 
o'clock,  and  as  the  Constitution  bore  steadily  down 
towards  her  antagonist,  the  crew  gave  three  cheers. 
The  English  vessel  was  well  known,  for  she  had  at 
one  of  her  mast-heads  a  flag  proudly  flying,  with 
the  "Guereiere"  written  in  large  characters  upon 
it.  When  the  Constitution  arrived  within  long  gun 
shot,  the  Guerriere  opened  her  fire,  now  waring 
to  bring  her  broadside  to  bear,  and  again  to 
prevent  being  raked  by  the  American,  which  slowly 
but  steadily  approached.  The  Englishman  kept  up 
a  steady  fire,  for  nearly  an  hour,  to  which  the  Con- 
7 


j 

V  il 


^. 


I 


146 


SBIOOND  WAB  WITH  ENGLAND. 


Btitation  replied  with  only  an  occasional  gun.  The 
crew  at  length  became  excited  under,  this  inaction. 
The  officer  below  had  twice  come  on  deck  to  report 
that  men  had  been  killed  standing  idly  at  their  gims, 
and  begged  permission  to  fire ;  but  Hull  still  con- 
tinued to  receive  the  enemy's  broadsides  in  silence. 
The  Guerriere  failing  to  cripple  the  Constitution, 
filled  and  moved  off  with  the  wind  free,  show- 
ing that  she  was  willing  to  receive  her  and  finish 
the  conflict  in  a  yard-arm  to  yard-arm  combat.  The 
Constitution  then  drew  slowly  ahead,  and  the  mo- 
ment her  bows  began  to  lap  the  quarters  of  the 
Guerriere,  her  forward  guns  opened,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  after,  the  welcome  orders  were  received  to 
pour  in  broadside  after  broadside  as  rapidly  as  pos- 
sible. When  she  was  fairly  abeam,  the  broadsides 
were  fired  with  a  rapidity  and  power  that  astounded 
the  enemy.  As  the  old  ship  forged  slowly  ahead 
with  her  greater  way,  she  seemed  moving  in  flame. 
The  mizen  mast  of  the  enemy  soon  fell  with  a  crash, 
while  her  hull  was  riddled  with  shot,  and  her  decks 
slippery  with  gore.  The  carnage  was  so  awful  that 
the  blood  from  the  wounded  and  manglec?  victims, 
as  they  were  hurried  into  the  cockpit,  poured  over 
the  ladder  as  if  it  had  been  dashed  from  a  bucket. 
As  Hull  passed  his  antagonist  he  wheeled  short 
round  her  bows  to  prevent  a  raking  fire.  But  in  do- 
ing this  he  came  dead  into  the  wind — his  sails  were 


The 
kction. 
report 
rguns, 
LI  con- 
ilence. 
tution, 
sliow- 
l  finish 
.t.  The 
ihe  mo- 
of  the 
n  a  few 
jived  to 
as  pos- 
)ad8ide9 
bounded 
y  ahead 
1  flame, 
a  crash, 
ir  decks 
fill  that 
victims, 
•ed  over 
bucket, 
id  short 
ut  in  do- 
ils  were 


fi 


■v.- 


a 


!<  ! 


li 


^i 


i 


OAPTUBE  OF  THE  OUEBBIEBB. 


147 


i: 


taken  aback — ^the  vessel  stopped — then  getting  stem- 
way,  the  Guerriere  came  up,  her  bows  striking  the 
former  abeam.    While    in    this  position,  the  for- 
ward guns  of  the  enemy  exploded  almost  against 
the  sides  of  the  Constitution,  setting  the  cabin 
on  fire.     This  would  have  proved  a  serious  event 
^ut  for  the  presence  of  mind  of  the  fourth  lieutenant, 
Beekman  Yerplanck  Hofifman,  who  extinguished  it. 
As  soon  as  the  vessels  got  foul  both  crews  prepared 
to  board.    The  first  lieutenant,  Morris,*  in  the  midst 
of  a  terrific  fire  of  musketry,  attempted  to  lash  the 
ships  together,  which  were  thumping  and  grinding 
against  each  other  with  the  heavy  sea,  but  fell,  shot 
through  the  body.    M.  Alwyn,  the  master,  and 
Lieut.  Bush  of  the  marines,  mounting  the  taffrail 
to  leap  on  the  enemy's  decks  were  both  shot  down, 
the  latter  killed  instantly  with  a  bullet  through  the 
head.    Finding  it  impossible  to  board  under  such  a 
tremendous  fire,  the  sails  of  the  Constitution  were 
filled,  when  the  vessels  slowly  and  reluctantly  parted. 
As  the  Constitution  rolled  away  on  the  heavy  swell, 
the  foremast  of  the  Guerriere  fell  back  against  the 
mainmast,  carrying  that  down  in  its  descont,  leav- 
ing the  frigate  a  helpless  wreck,  "  wallowing  in  the 
trough  of  the  sea."    Hull  seeing  that  his  enemy  was 
now  completely  in  his  power,  ran  off  a  little  way  to 
secure  his  own  masts  and  repair  his  rigging  which 
*  Afterwards  Gommodore  Morris. 


'.1 


148 


SBCJOND  WAR  WITH  ENOLAin). 


I!  i::s 


was  badly  cut  up.  In  a  short  time  he  returned,  and 
taking  up  a  position  where  he  could  rake  the  wreck 
of  the  Guerriere  at  every  discharge,  prepared  to  fin- 
ish her.  Capt.  Dacres  had  fought  his  ship  well,  and 
when  every  spar  in  her  was  down,  gallantly  nailed 
the  jack  to  the  stump  of  the  mizen-mast.  But  fur- 
ther resistance  was  impossible,  and  to  have  gone 
down  with  his  flag  flying,  as  one  of  the  English  jour- 
nals declared  he  ought  to  have  done,  would  have 
been  a  foolish  and  criminal  act.  A  few  more  broad- 
sides would  have  carried  the  brave  crew  to  the  bot- 
tom, and  to  allow  his  vessel  to  roll  idly  in  the  trough 
of  the  sea,  a  mere  target  for  the  guns  of  the  Ameri- 
can, would  neither  have  added  to  his  fame  nor 
lesened  the  moral  effect  of  the  defeat.  He  therefore 
reluctantly  struck  her  flag,  and  Lieutenant  Read  was 
sent  on  board  to  take  possession. 

As  he  stepped  over  the  vessel's  side,  a  disgusting 
scene  presented  itself.  "When  the  vessel  struck, 
Captain  Dacres  told  the  crew  they  might  go  and  get 
some  refreshments,  which  was  another  mode  of 
giving  them  liberty  to  drink.  In  a  short  time,  all 
the  petty  officers  and  their  wives,  together  with  the 
sailors,  were  wallowing  together  in  filth.  The  ves- 
sel being  dismasted  lay  in  the  trough  of  the  sea,  and 
as  she  rolled  backwards  and  forwards  the  water  came 
in  the  ports  on  one  side,  and  poured  out  of  those  on 


BLOWINO  UP  OF  THE  OITERfilEBE. 


149 


the  other,  mingling  in  a  loathsome  mass  the  motley 
multitude. 

This  vessel,  as  well  as  all  the  English  ships,  pre- 
sented another  striking  contrast  to  the  American. 
Impressment  was  so  abhorred,  that  British  officers 
were  afraid  of  being  shot  down  by  their  topmen 
during  an  engagement ;  and  hence  dared  not  wear 
their  uniforms,  while  ours  went  into  action  with 
their  epaulettes  on,  knowing  that  it  added  to  their 
security,  for  every  sailor  would  fight  for  his  com- 
mander as  he  would  for  a  comrade. 

Captain  Hull  kept  hovering  around  his  prize  during 
the  night ;  and  at  two  o'clock,  "  sail  ho,"  was  sent 
aft  by  the  watch,  when  the  Constitution  immediately 
beat  to  quarters.  The  weary  sailors  tumbled  up 
cheerfully  at  the  summons,  the  vessel  was  cleared  for 
action,  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  if  another  Guer- 
riere  had  closed  with  the  Constitution,  she  would 
have  been  roughly  handled,  crippled  as  the  latter 
was  from  her  recent  conflict. 

After  deliberating  for  an  hour,  the  stranger  stood 
off.  In  the  morning,  the  Guerriere  was  reported  to 
have  four  feet  water  in  the  hold,  and  was  so  cut  up 
that  it  would  be  difficult  to  keep  her  afloat.  The 
prisoners  were,  therefore,  all  removed,  and  the  vessel 
set  on  fire.  The  flames  leaped  up  the  broken  masts, 
ran  along  the  bulwarks,  and  wrapped  the  noble  wreck 
in  a  sheet  of  fire.    As  the  guns  became  heated,  they 


I 


t      i 


I    H 


150 


SSOOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


r  Hi: 

I       :     '  , 

II 

u* 

ll 

went  off  one  after  another,  firing  their  last  salute  to 
the  dying  ship.  At  length,  the  fire  reached  the  maga- 
zine, when  she  blew  up  with  a  tremendous  explosion. 
A  huge  column  of  smoke  arose  and  stood  for  a  long 
time,  as  if  petrified  in  the  calm  atmosphere,  and  then 
slowly  crumbled  to  pieces,  revealing  only  a  few 
shattered  planks  to  tell  where  that  proud  vessel 
had  sunk.  The  first  English  frigate  that  ever 
struck  its  flag  to  an  American  ship  of  war,  had  gone 
down  to  the  bottom  of  the  ocean,  a  gloomy  omen  of 
England's  future.  The  sea  never  rolled  over  a  vessel 
whose  fate  so  startled  the  world.  It  disappeared  for 
ever,  but  it  left  its  outline  on  the  deep,,  never  to  be 
effaced  till  England  and  America  are  no  more. 

The  loss  of  the  Constitution  was  seven  killed  and 
seven  wounded,  while  that  of  Guerriere  was  fifteen 
killed  and  sixty-four  wounded,  a  disparity  that 
shows  with  how  much  more  precision  the  American 
had  fired.  It  is  impossible,  at  this  period,  to  give  an 
adequate  idea  of  the  excitement  this  victory  produced. 
In  the  first  place,  it  was  fought  three  days  after  the 
surrender  of  General  Hull,  the  uncle  of  the  gallant 
captain.  The  mortifying,  stunning  news  of  the  dis- 
aster of  the  North-western  army  met  on  the  sea- 
board, the  thundering  shout  that  went  up  from  a 
people  delirious  with  delight  over  this  naval  victory. 
From  one  direction  the  name  of  Hull  came  loaded 
with  execrations — ^from  the  other  overwhelmed  with 


'  « 


EFFECT  OF  THE  VICTORY. 


161 


blessings.  But  not  only  was  the  joy  greater,  ar- 
riving as  the  news  did  on  the  top  of  a  disaster,  but 
it  took  the  nation  by  surprise.  An  American  frigate 
had  fearlessly  stood  up  in  single  combat  on  the  deep 
with  her  proud  foe,  and  giving  gun  for  gun,  torn  the 
crown  from  the  "  mistress  cf  the  sea."  The  fact 
that  the  Constitution  had  four  guns  more  and  a 
larger  crew,  could  not  prevent  it  from  being  practi- 
cally an  even  handed-fight.  The  disparity  of  the 
crews  was  of  no  consequence,  for  it  was  an  affair  of 
broadsides,  while  the  vast  difference  in  the  execution 
done,  proved  that  had  the  relative  weight  of  metal 
and  the  muster  roll  been  reversed,  the  issue  would 
have  been  the  same. 

Captain  Hull  on  his  return  to  Boston,  surrendered 
the  frigate  to  Bainbridge,  who  soon  after  hoisted  his 
broad  pennant  on  board,  but  did  not  put  to  sea  till 
the  26th  of  October. 

In  the  mean  time,  Commodore  Kodgers  having 
refitted  again,  started  on  a  cruise,  having  the 
United  States,  forty-four,  commanded  by  Commo- 
dore Decatur,  and  the  Argus,  sixteen,  Captain  Sin- 
clair, in  company.  Commodore  Rodgers  having  cap- 
tured on  the  17th,  the  British  packet  Swallow,  with 
two  hundred  thousand  dollars  on  board,  continued  his 
cruise  to  the  eastward.  Just  before,  in  a  heavy  gale, 
the  United  States  and  Argus  had  parted  company 
with  him.   The  former  directed  her  course  so  as  to  fall 


Oct.l». 


v)'   < 


;':J  I 


'r  ^1 

Ml 

til 


-!  ] 


1} 


i  5 


152 


SBCOirD  WAB  WITH  ESUQLAKD. 


f     I 


in  the  track  of  East  Indiairen,  but  on  Sunday  morn- 
ing, the  25th,  she  saw  a  large  sail  to  the  southward, 
which  proved  to  be  the  English  frigate  Macedonian. 
After  some  maneuyering,  the  two  vessels  approached 
within  a  mile  of  each  other,  when  the  firing  com- 
menced. After  the  United  States  delivered  her 
second  broadside,  she  ceased  maneuvering  and  took 
the  same  tack  with  her  enemy,  both  steering  free. 
The  Macedonian,  however,  was  to  windward,  and 
hence  could  make  it  a  yard-arm-to-yard-arm  combat 
whenever  she  chose.  But  she  preferred  a  longer 
range,  and  the  two  vessels  swept  on,  delivering  their 
rapid  broadsides  within  musket  shot.  The  distance 
at  which  they  kept,  together  with  the  heavy  sea  that 
was  rolling,  rendered  the  aim  imperfect  and  pro- 
tracted the  conflict,  so  that  it  continued  for  an  hour 
after  the  guns  of  both  vessels  began  to  bear,  before 
any  material  effect  was  visible.  The  broadsides  of 
the  United  States  were  delivered  so  rapidly  that  she 
was  constantly  enveloped  in  flame  and  smoke,  and 
the  crew  of  the  Macedonian  several  times  thought 
her  on  fire  and  cheered.  Decatur,  with  his  fine  face 
lit  up  with  that  chivalric  valor  that  was  wont  to 
illumine  it  in  battle,  moved  amid  his  men  with 
words  of  encouragement  and  praise.  As  the  mizen- 
mast  of  the  enemy  went  by  the  board,  hearing  a 
sailor  say  to  his  comrade,  "  Jack,  we've  made  a  brig 
of  her  f  he  replied,  "  Take  good  aim.  Jack,  and  she 


UNITED  STATES   AND  MACEDONIAN. 


153 


will  soon  be  a  sloop."  Turning  to  a  captain  of  the 
gun,  he  said,  "Aim  at  the  yellow  streak,  her  spars 
and  rigging  are  going  fast  enough,  she  must 
have  a  little  more  hulling."  Soon  after  her 
fore  and  main  top  mast  went  over.  At  length,  the 
mizen  mast  was  cut  in  two  by  a  shot,  about  ten 
feet  from  the  deck,  while  with  every  roll  of  the  ship 
the  ^vBakened  foremast  threatened  to  swell  the 
wreck.  The  Englishman,  perceiving  that  his  vessel 
would  soon  become  unmanageable,  made  an  eftbrt 
to  close,  for  the  purpose  of  boarding.  But  Decatur 
saw  his  advantage  too  plainly,  to  risk  it  in  a  des- 
perate  encounter,  and  putting  on  sail  shot  ahead. 
The  enemy  mistaking  this  movement  for  a  rapid 
flight  gave  three  cheers,  and  all  the  flags  having 
come  down  with  the  spars,  set  a  union  Jack  in  the 
main  rigging  in  token  of  triumph.  But  when  the 
United  States  was  seen  to  tack  and  approach,  as  if 
about  to  close,  it  was  hauled  down. 

On  this  same  Sabbath,  while  the  cheers  of  the 
United  States'  crew  rang  over  the  deep,  Napoleon 
was  traversing  in  gloom  the  fatal,  bloody  field  of 
Malo- Jaraslowitz,  and  with  two  kings  and  three  mar- 
shals by  his  side,  was  deliberating  on  that  retreat 
which  was  to  change  the  face  of  the  world. 

The  superiority  of  American  gunnery,  in  this  com- 
bat, was  placed  beyond  dispute.  It  was  a  simple 
cannonade  on  a  very  "rough  sea.    Yet  the  United 


)\\ 


'I  i 


r. 


M 


154 


SEOOND  WAR  WITH   ENOLAND. 


States  had  but  five  killed  and  seven  wounded,  while 
out  of  three  hundred  men,  the  Macedonian  had  one 
hundred  and  four  killed  or  wounded.  So,  also,  the 
former  lost  her  top-gallant  masts,  and  had  been 
hulled  but  a  few  times.  It  is  true  her  rigging  suf- 
fered severely,  but  the  English  frigate  had  almost 
every  spar  in  her  more  or  less  shattered,  while  her 
hull  was  pierced  with  a  hundred  shot.  In  this,  as 
in  the  former  engagement  between  the  Constitution 
and  Guerriere,  the  United  States  carried  four  more 
gwM  than  her  antagonist.  She  was  a  heavier  ship, 
but  therefore  a  better  mark,  and  yet  the  enemy's 
shot  rarely  hulled  her.  The  decks  of  the  latter  pre- 
sented a  revolting  spectacle.  "  Fragments  of  the 
dead  were  distributed  in  every  direction — the  decks 
covered  with  blood — one  continued  agonizing  yell 
of  the  unhappy  wounded,"  *  filled  the  ship. 

Decatur  having  arrived  with  his  prize  in  New 
London,  dispatched  Lieut.  Hamilton,  son  of  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Navy,  to  Washington,  with  an  account 
of  the  victory,  and  the  captured  colors.     Hurrying 
on,  greeted  with  the  acclamations  of  the  multitude 
as  he  passed,  he  arrived  at  the  capital  in  the 
evening.     On  that  very  night  a  ball  had  been 
given  to  the  officers  of  the  navy,  at  which  Hull  and 
Stewart  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  were  present. 
Young  Hamilton  walked  into  the  gay  assemblage 
*  Statement  of  an  American  officer. 


800TT  AND  THK  SAVAGES. 


105 


and  delivered  his  message  to  his  overjoyed  father, 
who  immediately  announced  it  to  the  company. 
Shout  after  shout  shook  the  hall — all  crowded 
around  the  young  lieutenant,  eager  to  hear  the  inci- 
dents of  the  action.  As  he  narrated  how  they  fought 
and  how  they  conquered,  tears  of  joy  and  gratHudo 
streamed  from  the  eyes  of  his  mother,  who  .  tooa 
fondly  gazing  on  him.  Captured  colors  of  the  en- 
emy decorated  the  room,  and  a  delegation  was  bont 
to  bring  those  of  the  Macedonia  and  add  them  to 
the  number.  Captains  Stewart  and  Hull  bore  them 
in,  and  presented  them,  amid  the  loud  acclamations 
of  the  throng,  to  the  wife  of  the  President — ^the  band 
struck  up  an  inspiring  air,  and  intense  excitement 
and  exultation  filled  every  bosom. 

The  ArgUs  met  with  but  little  success.  The  sea- 
manship of  her  officers  was,  however,  tested  during 
the  cruise.  She  was  chased  three  days  and  nights 
by  an  English  squadron,  and  yet  not  only  ni.tnaged 
to  escape,  but  having  come  upon  an  English  mer- 
chantman during  the  chase,  actually  captured  it  in 
sight  of  the  fleet,  though  by  the  time  she  had 
manned  it  the  enemy  had  opened  on  her  with  his 
guns.  Having  made  five  prizes  in  all,  she  returned 
to  port. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  "Wasp,  Captain  Jones,  which 
was  returning  from  Europe  with  dispatches,  the 
time  war  was  declared,  had  refitted  and  ptarted  on  a 


m 


166 


SECOND  WAR  WITH   ENGLAND. 


ill 


III 

I 

i.  i'i 


cruise.  Sailing  northward  to  the  latitude  of  Boston, 
she  made  a  single  capture  and  returned  to  the  Dela- 
ware. On  the  13th  of  October,  the  very  day  of 
Van  Kensalaer's  defeat  at  Queenstown,  she  again 
put  to  sea,  and  after  being  four  days  out,  on  the 
night  of  the  17th,  made  five  strange  sail.  "H  ot  know- 
ing their  strength  or  character.  Captain  Jones 
deemed  it  prudent  to  keep  off  till  daylight,  when  he 
would  have  a  better  opportunity  for  observing  them. 
In  the  morning  he  discovered  there  were  six  ships  un- 
der the  convoy  of  a  brig  of  war.  Two  of  them  were 
armed,  but  the  brig  deeming  herself  alone  a  match 
for  the  American,  sent  them  all  forward,  and  waited 
for  the  latter  to  approach .  The  sea  was  rough  from  the 
effects  of  a  storm  that  had  swept  those  latitudes  the 
day  before,  in  which  Captain  Jones  had  lost  his  jib 
boom  and  two  of  his  crew.  There  was  no  maneuver- 
ing attempted  in  this  tumultuous  sea,  and  the  "Wasp 
surged  on  in  dead  silence,  the  only  sound  heard  on 
her  decks  being  the  roar  of  the  waves  as  they  burst 
along  her  sides.  She  closed  on  her  antagonist  with 
a  deadliness  of  purpose  seldom  witnessed  in  naval 
combats.  She  never  delivered  her  broadside  till 
within  a  hundred  and  eighty  feet,  and  then  with 
fearful  effect.  At  first  this  heroism  seemed  doomed 
to  a  poor  reward.  The  fire  of  the  Frolic  was  inces- 
sant. Seldom  had  an  Englishman  been  known  to 
deliver  such  rapid  broadsides.    In  five  minutes  the 


llil 


of 


WASP    AND  FROLIC. 


157 


main  topmast  of  the  "Wasp  fell  amid  the  rigging — in 
two  minutes  more  the  gaft  and  mizen  top-gallant 
mast  followed.    Thus,  in  eight  minutes  from  the  time 
the  vessels  closed,  the  "Wasp  was  so  disabled  that  her 
destruction  seemed  almost  certain.    But  while  cut 
up  herself  so  terribly  aloft,  she  had  struck  with 
every  broadside  the  heart  of  her  antagonist.    As  she 
rolled  on  the  heavy  seas  her  guns  were  frequently 
under  water,  and  the  sailors  staggered  around  their 
pieces  like  drunken  men.    Delivering  her  broad- 
sides as  she  sunk,  she  hulled  her  antagonist  at  every 
discharge ;  while  the  latter,  firing  as  she  rose,  made 
sad  work  with  the  rigging  of  the  former.   Jones  seeing 
his  spars  and  rigging  so  dreadfully  cut  up,  was  afraid 
that  his  vessel  would  become  unmanageable,  and 
therefore  determined  to  run  foul  of  his  adversary  and 
board.    But  when  the  vessels  closed,  the  bows  of 
the  Frolic  struck  abaft  the  midships  of  the  Wasp, 
which  so  swung  the  head  of  the  latter  around  that 
she  was  enabled  to  throw  a  raking  fire  into  the  for- 
mer. .  The  order,  therefore,  to  board  was  counter- 
manded, and  a  fresh  broadside  directed  to  sweep  her 
decks.    In  loading  some  of  the  guns,  the  rammers 
struck  against  the  bows  of  the  Frolic.    The  shot 
went  crashing  the  whole  length  of  the  ship,  and  the 
crew,  excited  by  this  hand-to-hand  fight,  could  no 
longer  be  restrained  from  boarding.    Mr.  Biddle,  the 
first  lieutenant,  leaped  into  the  rigging,  followed  by 


{ t 


a- 
>    ) 


i! 


\ 

t 
i'  .1 


I 


II 
■■II 


■V 


Uly 


iff. 


158 


SECOND  WAR   WITH   ENGLAND. 


Lieut.  Rodgers  and  other  men,  and  soon  gained  the 
decks  of  the  Frolic — but,  in  looking  round  for  the 
enemy,  they  saw  but  three  or  four  officers  standing 
aft,  and  bleeding.  None  but  the  dead  and  wounded 
cumbered  the  decks. '  Not  one  was  left  to  haul  down 
the  colors.  The  officers  threw  down  their  swords  in 
token  of  submission,  and  Lieutenant  Biddle,  spring- 
ing into  the  rigging,  lowered  the  English  flag  with 
his  own  hand.  The  carnage  was  horrible  for  so 
small  a  vessel — ^nearly  a  hundred  of  the  officers  and 
crew  being  killed  or  wounded.  The  decks  were  lit- 
erally covered  with  the  mangled  forms  of  men  and 
officers.  The  corpses  presented  a  ghastly  appear- 
ance as  they  rolled  from  side  to  side  with  the  tossing 
vessel,  while  shivered  spars  and  masts  covered  the 
wreck,  and  still  hanging  by  the  ropes,  swung  with 
every  lurch  against  its  shattered  hull.  There  can 
scarcely  be  a  more  mournful  sight  than  a  noble  ship 
dismantled  in  mid  ocean,  her  decks  crimsoned  with 
blood,  while  on  every  side,  amid  broken  and  rent 
timbers,  her  gallant  crew  dismembered  and  toyn,  are 
stretched  in  death. 

The  Frolic  was  a  brig  carrying  in  all  twenty-two 
guns,  while  the  "Wasp,  though  a  ship,  carried  but 
eighteen,  thus  making  a  difference  in  favor  of  the 
former  of  four  guns. 

The  Wasp  had,  therefore,  captured  a  superior 
force  in  single  combat.    But  in  this,  as  in  the  two 


"W  Afsr   CAPTORED. 


169 


Ity-two 
jd  but 
of  the 


former  engagements  I  have  detailed,  the  same  ex- 
traordinary disparity  in  the  respective  losses  of  the 
two  vessels  was  exhibited.  While  near  a  hundred 
were  killed  or  wounded  in  the  Frolic,  there  were 
only  five  killed  and  as  many  wounded  in  the  Ameri- 
can ship.  It  is  not  a  matter  of  surprise  that  the  be- 
lief  became  prevalent  in  England  that  our  vessels 
were  filled  with  Kentucky  riflemen.  These  men 
had  become  famous  for  their  accuracy  of  aim  ;  and 
it  was  supposed  we  had  introduced  them  into  our 
navy.  In  no  other  way  could  they  account  for  the 
awful  carnage  that  followed  every  single  combat  of 
ship  with  ship.  In  all  her  naval  history,  such  de- 
structive work  had  never  been  witnessed  in  so  short 
a  space  of  time.  The  moment  an  American  vessel 
opened  her  broadsides,  death  began  to  traverse  the 
decks  of  her  antagonist  with  such  a  rapid  footstep, 
that  men  were  appalled. 

This  was  doubtless  owing  in  a  great  measure  to 
our  guns  being  sighted,  an  improvement  introduced 
by  American  officers,  rendering  the  aim  infinitely 
more  accurate. 

* 

The  "Wasp  in  this  engagement  had  been  fought 
nobly,  but  her  victory  proved  worse  than  a  barren 
one  to  her  gallant  commander  and  crew.  Scarcely 
had  the  English  Jack  been  lowered  to  the  Stars  and 
Stripes,  before  the  latter  were  struck  to  the  English 
flag.    The  Poictiers  an  English  seventy-four,  soon 


\\: 


u  ■■ 


160 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


[!  ii. 


;  I' 


hoved  in  sight  and  bore  down  on  the  two  vessels  ly- 
ing to  and  clearing  away  the  wreck.  The  Wasp 
endeavored  to  make  use  of  her  heels,  but  on  turning 
out  her  sails,  they  were  found  completely  riddled. 
Flight  was  out  of  the  question,  and  both  vessels  sur- 
rendered. They  were  taken  into  Bermuda,  where 
the  Americans  were  parolled  and  allowed  to  return 
home. 

On  the  26th  of  October,  Commodore  Bainbridge 
left  Boston,  accompanied  by  the  Hornet,  with  the 
intention  of  joining  Captain  Porter,  in  the  Essex, 
and  passing  into  the  Pacific  Ocean,  where  the 
British  fisheries  and  commerce  could  be  easily 
struck.  Captain  Lawrence,  cruising  southward,  at 
length  arrived  at  St.  Salvador,  where  he  found  a 
British  sloop  of  war,  the  Bonne  Citoyenne.  The  lat- 
ter being  in  a  neutral  port,  was  safe.  She  was  supe- 
rior to  the  Hornet,  but  Lawrence,  determined  to 
provoke  her  out  to  single  combat,  sent  a  challenge 
to  her  commander — Commodore  Bainbridge,  in  the 
meanwhile,  promising  to  keep  out  of  the  way.  The 
challenge  was  declined,  and  if  the  fact  that  she  had  a 
large  amount  of  specie  on  board,  had  been  given  as 
the  reason  of  her  refusal,  the  conduct  of  Captain 
Green,  the  commander  would  have  been  imobjec- 
tionable.  But  to  intimate,  as  he  did,  that  the  frigate 
would  interfere,  after  Bainbridge  had  pledged  his 
word,  and  the  American  Consul  offered  guarantees. 


CONSTITUTION    AND  JAVA. 


161 


Bly- 

ning 
died. 
\  sur- 
rhere 
eturn 

(ridge 
h  the 
Essex, 
•e  the 
easily 
ird,  at 
)und  a 
'he  lat- 


LUenge 


evinced  a  contemptible  spirit,  almost  as  degrading 
as  cowardice. 

Captain  Lawrence  determined,  however,  not  to 
let  the  vessel  go  to  sea  without  him,  and  he  there- 
fore blockaded  the  port. 

The  Constitution  left  the  Hornet  blockading  the 
Bonne  Citayenne,  and  steered  south,  keeping  along 
the  coast,  and  on  the  29th  discovered  two  sail  be- 
tween her  and  the  land,  which  was  about  thirty  miles 
distant  and  in  full  view.     One  of  the  vessels  being 
small,  kept  standing  in  towards  the  shore,  while  the 
larger  one,  a  British  frigate,  the  Java,  of  thirty-eight 
guns,  directed  her  course  towards  the  American. 
Bainbridge,  wishing  to  get  farther  from  the  land, 
tacked  and  steered  to  the  south-east  for  two  hours, 
the  Englishman  following  after.     About  half-past 
one,  finding  himself  clear  of  the  land,  Bainbridge 
tacked  and  stood  towards  the  stranger.    At  2  o'clock 
the  two  vessels  were  only  half  a  mile  apart,  the 
Englishman  to  windward,  and  showing  no  colors. 
Tlie  order  to  fire  a  shot  to  make  the  latter  set  his 
ensign  being  misunderstood,  a  whole  broadside  was 
delivered,  and  the  battle  commenced.    A  tremen- 
dous cannonade  followed.    The  wind  was  light  and 
the  sea  smooth,  so  that  full  scope  was  given  for  ma- 
neuvering and  accurate  aim.   Bainbridge,  who  at  the 
commencement  of  the  war,  had  urged  the  Prt-sident 
to  send  the  national  ships  to  sea,  and  was  Jiow  in  his 


t!?.. 


ml 


162 


SECOND   WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


|;„^. 


Wi    '■■.!■ 


[i 


first  fight,  felt  not  only  the  promise  he  had  given  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  weighing  on  him,  but  his  re- 
sponsibility as  commander  of  the  Constitution,  fresh 
with  laurels  from  the  capture  of  the  Guerriere. 

He  managed  his  ship  with  consummate  skill,  and 
not  only  foiled  every  attempt  of  the  enemy  to  get  a 
raking  position,  but  soon  obtained  one  himself,  and 
delivered  a  broadside  that  swept  the  decks  of  the  Ja- 
va.   The  vessels  had  at  length  approached  within 
pistol    shot,    and    the    effect    of  the  rapid  broad- 
sides of  the  Constitution  delivered  so  closely  and  on 
that  smooth  sea,  could  be  heard  in  the  rending  tim- 
bers of  the  enemy's  ship.    Bainbridge,  in  the  mean 
time,  received  a  musket  ball  in  his  thigh.    He  how- 
ever still  walked  the  quarter  deck,  watching  every 
movement  of  his  antagonist,  and  the  effect  of  every 
broadside.    In  a  few  minutes  later,  a  cannon  shot 
plunged  into  the  wheel,  shattering  it  in  fragments, 
and  sending  a  copper  bolt  into  his  leg.   Crippled  and 
bleeding — ^refusing  even  to  sit  down — he  continued  to 
limp  over  the  quarter  deck,  watching  the  progress  of 
the  combat,  and  directing  the  movements,  apparently 
unconscious  of  pain.    The  destruction  of  the  wheel 
he  felt  to  be  a  more  serious  affair  than  his  wounded 
leg,  for  he  was  no  longer  able  to  give  verbal  orders 
to  the  helmsman.    The  tiller  was  of  course  worked 
below  the  second  deck  by  ropes  and  tackles,  where 
the  helmsman  unable  to  see  the  sails  and  steer  ac- 


mm 


CAPTIUE  OF  THE  JAVA. 


163 


:■  ■  I  ■ 


itbe 

18  re- 
fresh 

,  and 
get  a 
f,  and 
le  Ja- 
vithin 
broad- 
indon 
Lg  tim- 
5  mean 
^e  liow- 
r  every 
'  every 
)n  shot 
rment8, 
led  and 
nued  to 
rress  of 
arently 

wheel 
ounded 

orders 
worked 

where 

teer  ac- 


cordingly, depended  entirely  on  orders  transmitted 
to  him.  This  would  have  been  of  minor  consequence 
in  a  steady  yard  to  yard-arm  fight,  but  in  the  constant 
maneuvering  of  the  two  vessels,  either  to  get  or 
prevent  a  raking  fire,  it  was  a  serious  inconvenience. 
Still,  the  Constitution  managed  to  secure  this  advan- 
tage in  almost  every  evolution.  The  tremendous  fire 
she  kept  up,  so  staggered  the  Englishman,  that  he  re- 
solved to  run  his  vessel  aboard  at  all  hazards.  He 
came  stern  on,  and  his  bowsprit  passed  through  the 
mizen  rigging  of  the  Constitution.  The  next  mo- 
ment, however,  it  was  cut  in  two  by  a  cannon  shot, 
when  the  two  vessels  parted.  At  length  the  Consti- 
tution, after  wearing  twice  to  get  the  right  position, 
threw  herself  fairly  alongside  her  antagonist,  and 
they  moved  on  together,  yard-arm  and  yard-arm, 
pouring  in  incessant  broadsides.  In  a  few  minutes 
the  mizen  mast  of  the  Java  went  over,  and  as  her 
foremast  had  gone  long  before,  nothing  but  the  main 
mast  was  left  standing.  Her  fire  had  now  ceased, 
and  Bainbridge,  under  the  impression  she  had  struck, 
set  his  sails  and  passed  off  to  windward  to  repair 
damages,  make  his  masts  secure,  and  be  ready  for 
any  new  combat  that  might  be  forced  on  him,  in  a 
sea  filled  with  the  enemy's  cruisers.  After  an  hour 
spent  in  overhauling  his  ship  he  returned,  and  find- 
ing the  enemy's  ensign  still  flying,  he  passed  directly 
across  her  bows,  and  was  about  to  deliver  a  raking 


f   4 


164 


8E00ND  WAR   WITH   ENGLAND. 


m    '  i 


fire,  when  she  struck.  The  combat  lasted  for  more 
than  two  hours,  and  from  the  number  of  evolutions 
on  both  sides,  was  brought  to  a  termination  seve- 
ral miles  from  where  it  commenced.  The  Java 
was  completely  dismantled.  Her  mizen  mast  had 
been  cut  away  close  to  the  deck — the  mainmast  fell 
soon  after  the  firing  ceased,  while  nothing  but  a 
stump  of  the  foremast,  some  twenty  or  thirty  feet 
long,  was  left  standing.  Her  bowsprit,  too,  was 
gone ;  in  fact,  every  spar  had  been  shot  out  of  her. 
The  Constitution,  on  the  contrary,  at  the  close  of  the 
long  severe  conflict,  had  every  spar  standing.  An 
eighteen  pound  shot  had  made  an  ugly  hole  through 
her  mizen  mast,  and  another  had  cut  a  deep  gash  in 
the  foremast,  and  a  quantity  of  ropes  swinging  loose 
in  the  wind,  showed  that  she  had  been  in  the  midst 
of  cannon  balls,  but  she  came  out  of  the  conflict  as 
she  went  in,  every  spar  erect  and  her  royal  yards 
across.  The  outward  appearance  of  the  ships  did 
not  present  a  more  striking  contrast  than  their  decks. 
Those  of  the  Java  were  rent  and  torn,  and  strewed 
with  the  dead.  A  hundred  and  sixty-one  had  been 
killed  or  wounded,  while  nine  killed  and  twenty-five 
wounded  covered  the  entire  loss  of  the  Constitution. 
Among  the  prisoners  taken  was  Lieutenant-Gene- 
ral  Hislop,  with  his  staff",  on  his  way  to  Bombay,  as 
Governor.  They  were  all  treated  with  that  kindness 
and  generosity  which  ever  characterizes  a  truly 


m.  • 


KINDNESS   OF  BAINBRIDOE. 


166 


brave  man — conduct  which  the  English,  in  the  very 
very  few  opportunities  oifered  them,  did  not  gene- 
rally reciprocate. 

The  severe  wounds  of  Commodore  Bainbridge 
could  not  force  him  to  leave  the  deck,  even  after  the 
action  was  over.  In  his  anxiety  for  his  ship  and  the 
prize,  and  care  of  the  wounded  and  prisoners,  he 
forgot  his  sufferings,  keeping  his  feet  till  eleven 
o'clock  at  night.  These  eight  hours  of  constant  ex- 
ertion increased  the  inflammation  to  an  alarming 
degree,  and  well  nigh  cost  him  his  life. 

It  was  a  proud  day  for  him ;  he  had  redeemed 
his  pledge  to  the  government,  and  added  another 
wreath  to  the  laurels  that  already  crowned  the  Ame- 
rican navy. 

The  Constitution  lay  by  the  Java  for  two  or  three 
days,  in  order  that  the  wounded  might  be  removed 
with  care  and  safety.  When  this  was  accomplished, 
the  latter  vessel  being  so  completely  riddled  that  it 
would  be  impossible  to  get  her  into  an  American 
port,  was  blown  up.  Oui*  gunners  fired  with  too  ac- 
curate an  aim ;  they  so  destroyed  the  vessels  of  the 
enemy,  that  they  could  not  be  secured  as  prizes. 

The  Constitution  was  carried  into  St.  Salvador, 
where  her  arrival  did  not  improve  the  prospect  be- 
fore the  Bonne  Citayenne,  should  she  venture  to 
break  a  lance  with  the  Hornet.  She  was  apparently 
preparing  to  go  to  sea  that  night,  with  the  intention 


I! 


|: 


166 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  BNOLAND. 


i 


I'l'' ' 


il  II 


of  avoiding  her  antagonist  if  convenient,  and  fight- 
ing her  if  necessary.  The  capture  of  the  Java,  how- 
ever, produced  a  change  in  her  plans,  and  she  took 
eighteen  days  longer  to  reflect  on  the  subject. 

Commodore  Bainbridge  dismissed  the  private  pas- 
sengers found  on  board  the  Java,  without  regarding 
them  as  prisoners  of  war,  while  all  the  others  were 
released  on  their  parol.  Governor  Ilislop  presented 
him  with  an  elegant  sword,  as  a  token  of  his  esteem 
and  an  acknowledgment  of  the  kindness  with  which 
he  had  been  treated.  Captain  Lambert,  commander 
of  the  Java,  was  mortally  wounded,  and  just  before 
his  removal  to  the  shore,  Bainbridge,  leaning  on  the 
shoulders  of  two  officers,  hobbled  into  his  room  to 
restore  to  him  his  sword.  It  was  a  touching  spec- 
tacle, the  wounded  victor  presenting  to  his  dying 
antagonist,  the  sword  he  never  would  wield  again, 
accompanying  it  with  expressions  of  esteem  and 
kindly  hopes.  Captain  Lambert  received  it  with 
emotion,  and  returned  his  thanks.  Two  days  after, 
it  was  lajd  across  his  breast.  It  was  not  dishonored 
in  its  owner's  hand,  for  his  ship  had  been  gallantly 
fought  to  the  last,  and  surrendered  only  when  not  a 
sail  could  be  set. 

Bainbridge,  at  this  time,  was  not  quite  forty  years 
of  age.  Six  feet  in  height,  of  commanding  person, 
and  an  eye  that  burned  like  fire  in  battle,  he  moved 
over  his  quarter  deck  the  impersonation  of  a  hero. 


OHARAOTER  OF   BAINBRIDOS. 


167 


lOW- 

took 


pas- 
ding 
were 
anted 
jteem 
«rliicli 
ander 
before 
on  the 
lom  to 
r  Bpec- 
dying 
again, 
and 
with 
after, 
onored 
Uantly 
not  a 


oa 


Hib  noble  conduct  to  the  prisoners,  won  him  tlie 
praise  even  of  his  enemies.  An  English  Admiral, 
when  told  of  it,  shook  his  head,  remarking,  that  it 
had  an  ominous  look  when  a  young  commander,  in 
a  navy  unaccustomed  to  victory,  could  treat  his  foea 
80  like  an  old  Spanish  cavalier.^ 

The  Constitution,  in  this  engagement,  carried  fifty- 
four  guns,  and  the  Java  forty-nine.  On  this  dif- 
ference of  five  guns,  the  English  attempted  to  erect 
a  prop  to  support  their  naval  pride.  The  effort  to 
prove  a  superiority  in  weight  of  metal  and  number 
of  men,  in  every  victorious  American  vessel,  and 
the  changes  rung  on  the  difference  of  a  single  gun, 
exhibited  a  sensitiveness  that  enhanced  instead  of 
lessened  the  defeats.  If  a  battle  is  never  to  be  con- 
sidered equal,  until  both  ships  have  the  same  ton- 
nage to  a  pound,  the  same  number  of  cannon,  and 
the  muster  roll  be  equal  to  a  man,  it  is  to  be  feared 
there  never  will  be  one  fought.  Not  only  did  the 
English  allege  that  the   Constitution  was  greatly 

*  There  is  a  curious  incident  connected  with  this  battle.  A  few 
nights  before  it  occurred,  Bainbridge  dreamed,  that  he  had  a  long 
encounter  with  a  British  vessel,  and  finally  captured  her.  On 
board  were  several  officers,  and  among  them  a  general.  It  made 
such  an  impression  on  him,  that  he  entered  the  facts  in  his  jour- 
nal, and  spoke  of  them  to  his  officers.  After  the  engagement,  as 
he  was  standing  on  deck  surrounded  by  his  officers,  waiting  to  re- 
ceive the  commander  of  the  Java,  he  saw  the  boats  carrying  Gen- 
eral Hislop  approach.  Turning  to  lieutenant  Parker,  he  said, 
"  that  is  the  man  I  saw  in  my  dream.'* 


168 


BErOND   WAR   WTTFI    ENGLAND. 


!W' 


superior  in  weight  of  metal,  but  declared  that  her 
success  was  owing,  in  a  largo  measure,  to  her  mus- 
ketry ;  and  yet  the  Java  had  not  a  spar  standing  at 
tlie  close  of  the  battle.  Muskets  do  not  dismantle 
vessels,  and  leave  them  mere  hulks  at  the  mercy  of 
their  foe.*  The  English  court  of  enquiry  appointed 
to  investigate  the  subject,  asked  the  boatswain,  "  if 
they  had  suffered  much  on  the  forecastle  from  mus- 
ketry." "  Yes,"  he  very  frankly  replied,  "  cmd^  like' 
wisBy  from  rownd  and  gra^e.''^  The  latter  was,  no 
doubt,  true,  and  very  probably  the  former. 

Bainbridge  returned  to  Boston,  and  resigned  the 
command  of  the  Constitution,  which  stood  greatly 
in  need  of  repairs. 

Lawrence  continued,  as  before  stated,  to  blockade 
the  Bonne  Citoyenne,  until  the  latter  part  of  Jan- 


*  Some  time  after  the  peace  of  1815,  a  distinguished  officer  of 
the  English  navy,  visited  the  Constitution,  then  just  fitted  anew 
at  Boston,  for  a  Mediterranean  cruise.    He  went  through  the  ship, 

accompanied  by  Captain of  our  service.    "  Well,  what  do 

you  think  of  her?"  asked  the  latter,  after  the  two  had  gone 
through  the  vessel,  and  reached  the  quarter  deck  again.  "  She  is 
one  of  the  finest  frigates,  if  not  the  finest  frigate  I  ever  put  ray 
foot  on  board  of,"  returned  the  Englishman ;  "  but,  as  I  must  find 
some  fault,  I'll  just  say,  that  your  wheel  is  one  of  the  clumsiest 

things  I  ever  saw,' and  is  unworthy  of  the  vessel."     Captain 

laughed,  and  then  explained  the  appearance  of  the  wheel,  saying, 
"  When  the  Constitution  took  the  Java,  the  former's  wheel  was 
shot  out  of  her.  The  Java's  wheel  was  fitted  on  the  Constitution 
to  steer  with,  and  although  we  think  it  ugly,  as  you  do,  we  keep 
it  as  a  trophy." 


vi 


nORNVr  AND  PBACXXJK. 


169 


uary,  when  a  British  seventy-four  heaving  in  sight, 
he  was  compelled  to  run  in  beside  his  adversary. 
The  tables  were  now  turned  upon  him,  and  he  had 
the  prospect  of  seeing  the  man-of-war  playing  the 
part  of  keeper  at  the  mouth  of  the  port,  while  his 
own  prisoner  making  use  of  this  protection  could 
pass  out,  and  continue  his  voyage.  This  was  a  pre- 
dicament he  did  not  relish,  and  taking  advantage 
of  the  night,  quietly  slipped  out  to  sea,  and  continued 
his  cruise.  He  made  a  few  prizes,  and  among  them 
a  brig  of  ten  guns,  with  $12,500  in  specie  on  board. 
Arriving,  at  length,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Demarara 
river,  he  discovered  an  English  brig  of  war,  and  gave 
chase  to  her.  The  latter  running  in  shore,  led  him 
into  such  shoal  water,  that  he  deemed  it  prudent  to 
haul  off.  He,  however,  did  not  abandon  the  hope 
of  forcing  the  ship  into  an  ehgagement,  and  while 
beating  down  on  a  different  tack  to  get  within  reach 
of  her,  he  discovered  another  brig  apparently  seeking 
to  close.  He  immediately  put  the  head  of  his  ves- 
sel toward  that  of  the  stranger.  Both  were  close  on 
the  wind,  and  as  they  continued  to  approach,  it  was 
evident  from  their  course  they  must  pass  each  other 
with  their  yard-arms  almost  touching.  It  was  now 
nearly  half-past  five,  and  the  lurid  rays  of  the  sun,  just 
sinking  behind  the  hills  of  the  main  land,  flooded  the 
two  vessels  as  they  silently  closed.    The  moment 

they  began  to  draw  abeam,  so  that  the  guns  bore, 

8 


||;J 

1^' 

1 

n 

i 

,^j . 

mSm 

^^Ra 

170 


SECOND  WAK   WITH   ENGLAND. 


the  firing  began.  When  fairly  abreast,  the  vessels  were 
not  more  than  fifty  feet  apart.  The  words  of  command 
and  the  shrieks  of  the  wounded  could  be  distinctly 
heard  in  either  vessiel,  as  broadside  crashed  against 
broadside.  It  was  a  stern  meeting  and  parting.  As 
soon  as  the  guns  ceased  to  bear,  the  Englishman  wore, 
in  order  to  get  a  raking  fire  on  the  Hornet.  The  latter, 
however,  was  too  quick  for  him ;  he  was  first  about, 
and  coming  down  on  his  quarter  in  "  a  perfect  blaze 
of  fire,"  poured  in  his  broadsides  with  such  close 
range  and  destructive  effect,  that  in  ten  minutes 
more  the  enemy  not  only  struck,  but  hoisted  a  sig- 
nal of  distress.  Mr.  Shubrick  being  sent  on  board 
to  take  possession,  reported  that  the  vessel  was  the 
sloop  of  war.  Peacock,  and  that  she  had  six  fee. 
water  in  the  hold.  Every  effort  was  made  to  save 
the  prize,  and  to  get  out  the  wounded.  Both  vessels 
were  anchored;  the  pumps  were  rigged  on  board 
the  Peacock,  and  bailing  was  resorted  to.  The  ves- 
sel, however,  continued  to  sink,  and  at  last  went 
down,  carrying  nine  of  her  own  crew  and  three  of 
the  Hornet  with  her.  Two  American  officers,  and 
many  more  seamen  came  near  losing  their  lives,  in 
their  gallant  effort  to  save  the  prisoners. 

The  foremast  of  the  ill-fated  vessel  protruded 
from  the  sea,  where  she  went  down,  remaining  for 
some  time  to  mark  the  place  of  the  battle  and  the 
victory. 


EFFECT  OF  THE   VICTOEY. 


171 


The  superiority  of  American  gunnery  and  Ameri- 
can seamanship  was  again  established  beyond  dis- 
pute. The  Hornet  was  slightly  superior  in  weight 
of  metal,*  but  she  not  only  out-maneuvered  her  an- 
tagonist, but  surpassed  her  incomparably  in  the 
effective  use  of  her  guns.  The  former  had  but  one 
man  killed  and  two  wounded,  while  of  the  latter 
there  were  thirty-eight  killed  and  wounded,  and 
among  them  the  commander.  The  Hornet  had  but 
a  single  shot  in  her  hull,  while  the  Peacock  was  so 
riddled  that  she  sunk  in  a  few  minutes  after  the 
action. 

The  thrill  of  exultation  that  passed  over  the  land 
at  the  announcement  of  the  first  naval  victory,  was 
alloyed  by  the  reflection  that  it  was  but  an  isolated 
instance,  and  hence  could  hardly  justify  a  belief 
in  our  naval  superiority.  But  as  frigate  after  frigate 
and  ship  after  ship  struck,  all  doubt  vanished,  and 
the  nation  was  intoxicated  with  delight.  The  suc- 
cessive disasters  that  befel  our  land  forces  along  the 
Canada  line,  could  not  check  the  outburst  of  enthusi- 
asm on  every  side.  As  the  news  of  one  victory 
succeeding  another  was  borne  along  the  great  chan- 
nels of  communication,  long  shouts  of  triumph  rolled 
after  it,  and  the  navy  from  being  unknown  and 
nncared  for,  rose  at  once  to  be  the  bulwark  and 

Peacock.  Hornet 

*  Broadside  guns 9  10 

Crew, 130  135 


!l  : 


yil '  ii: 


172 


SBOOND  WAS  WITH  ENGLAND. 


pride  of  the  nation.  All  faces  were  turned  to  the 
ocean  to  catch  the  first  echo  of  those  resistless  broad- 
sides, that  proudly  asserted  and  made  good  the  claim 
to  "  free  trade  and  sailor's  rights."  Where  we  had 
been  insulted  and  wronged  the  most,  there  we  were 
chastising  the  offender  with  blows  that  astounded 
the  world.  If  the  American  Government  had  been 
amazed  at  the  failure  of  its  deep  laid  schemes  against 
Canada,  it  was  no  less  so  at  the  unexpected  tri- 
umphs at  sea.  Saved  from  the  deepest  condemna- 
tion by  the  navy,  which  it  had  neglected — forced  to 
fall  back  on  its  very  blunders  for  encouragement, 
it  could  say  with  Hamlet— 

"  Let  us  know, 
Our  indiscretion  sometimes  serves  us  well 
When  our  deep  pio^  do  pall." 

But  our  astonishment  at  these  successive  and  bril- 
liant victories  could  scarcely  exceed  that  of  the  old 
world.  The  British  navy  had  been  so  long  accus- 
tomed to  victory,  that  a  single-Landed  contest  of  an 
English  frigate  with  that  of  any  other  nation,  had 
ceased  to  be  a  matter  of  solicitude  to  her.  The 
maritime  nations  of  Europe  had,  one  aftei  another, 
yielded  to  her  sway,  till  her  flag  in  every  sea  on  the 
globe  extorted  the  i  ^pect  and  fear  which  the  decla- 
ration, "  I  am  a  Roman  citizen"  did,  in  the  proudest 
days  of  the  Empire.    Her  invincibility  on  the  ocean 


EFFECT  OF  THE  VIOTOBT. 


173 


n 


to  the 
broad- 
3  claim 
ve  liad 
re  were 
ounded 
d  been 
against 
;ted  tri- 
ademna- 
:orced  to 
igement, 


was  a  foregone  conclusion.    The  victories  of  Napo- 
leon stopped  with  the  shore— even  his  "  star"  paled 
on  the  deep.    His  extraordinary  efforts  and  energies 
could  not  tear  from  the  British  navy  the  proud  title 
it  had  worn  so  long.    His  fleets,  one  after  another, 
had  gone  dpwn  before  the  might  of  British  broad- 
sides, and  the  sublime  sea  fights  of  Aboukir  and  Tra- 
falgar, were  only  corroborations  of  what  had  long 
been  established.    If  this  was  the  common  feeling 
of  the  Continent  it  is  no  wonder  that  "  the  English 
were  stunned  as  by  the  shock  of  an  earthquake."  * 
The  first  victory  surprised  them,  but  did  not  disturb 
their  confidence.    They  began  to  discuss  the  causes 
of  the  unlooked  for  event  with  becoming  dignity, 
but  before  the  argument  was  concluded,  another  and 
another  defeat  came  like  successive  thunder  claps, 
till  discussion  gave  way  to  alarm.    The  thoughtful 
men  of  England  were  too,  wise  to  pretend  that  disas- 
ters occurring  in  such  numbers  and  wonderful  regu- 
larity, could  be  the  result  of  accident,  and  feared 
they  beheld  the  little  black  cloud  which  the  prophet 
saw  rising  over  the  sea,  portending  an  approaching 
storm.    If,  in  so  short  a  time,  a  maritime  force  of 
only  a  few  frigates  and  sloops  of  war  could  strike 
such  deadly  blows  and  destroy  the  prestige  of  Eng- 
hsh  invincibility,  what  could  not  be  done  when  that 
navy  should    approximate    her    own  in  strength. 

*  Vide  Alison. 


in 


Ji 


l^i 


174 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


m 


I 


>"   W,J^'?S 


m% 


Some  of  the  leading  journals  indulged  in  foolish 
boasting  and  detraction  of  American    valor,    and 
held  up  to  derision  those  who  saw  portents  of  evil  in 
the  recent  defeats.    But  the  Times  spoke  the  senti- 
ments of  those  whose  opinions  were  of  any  weight. 
Said  the  latter :    "  We  witnessed  the  gloom  which 
the  event  (the  capture  of  the  Guerriere)  cast  over 
high  and  honorable  minds.    "We  participated  in  the 
vexation  and  regret,  and  it  is  tlie  first  time  we  ever 
heard  that  the  striking  of  the  flag  on  the  high  seas 
to  any  thing  like  an  equal  force,  should  be  regarded  by 
Englishmen  with  complacency  or  satisfaction."  *  *  * 
"  It  is  not  merely  that  an  English  frigate  has  been 
taken,  after  what  we  are  free  to  confess,  may  be 
called  a  brave  resistance,  but  that  it  ha  been  taken 
by  a  new  enemy,  an  enemy  umccustomed  to  such 
triumphs,  and  likely  to  be  rendered  insolent  and 
confident  by  them."    Another  declared :  "  Our  mari- 
time superiority  is  in  fact  a  part  of  the  nation's 
right.    It  has  been  the  right  of  the  conqueror,  since 
men  associated  together  in  civilization,  to  give  laws 
to  the  conquered,  and  is  Great  Britain  to  be  driven 
from  the  proud  eminence  which  the  blood  and 
treasures    of    her    sonj    have    attained    for   her 
among  nations,  by  a  piece  of  striped  bunting  flying 
at  the  mast-head  of  a  iQV7  fir-huilt frigates,  manned 
by  a  handful  of  bastards  and  oatlaws  ?" 

Such  were  the  different  sentiments  entertained 


SSK 


AMBBIOAM  OUNMEBT. 


175 


)0li8ll 

and 
ivil  in 
senti- 
oiglit. 
wliicli 
t  over 
in  the 
re  ever 
r[\  seas 
•dedby 

»  -Jfr  ■X'  * 

as  been 
oaay  be 
1  taken 
to  sucli 
3iit  and 
ar  mari- 
nation's 
)r,  since 
ve  laws 
i  driven 
lod   and 
for   ber 

g  flying 
inanned 


and  expressed  in  England  at  the  outset,  but  as  the 
war  progressed,  anxiety  and  alarm  took  the  place 
of  boasting. 

The  war  vessels  at  length  grew  timorous,  and  lost 
all  their  desire  to  meet  an  American  ship  of  equal 
rank.  It  was  declared  that  our  frigates  were  built 
like  seventy-fours,  and  therefore  English  frigates 
were  justified  in  declining  a  battle  when  offered. 
Tlic  awful  havoc  made  by  our  fire  affected  the  seamen 
also,  and  whenever  they  saw  the  stars  and  stripes 
flaunting  from  the  mast-head  of  an  approaching  vessel, 
tliey  felt  that  no  ordinary  battle  was  before  them. 
English  crews  had  never  been  so  cut  up  since  the 
existence  of  her  navy.  In  the  terrific  battllo  of  the 
Nile,  Nelson  lost  less  than  three  out  of  one  hundred, 
and  in  his  attack  on  Copeniiagcn,  lc«s  than  four  out  of 
every  hundred.  In  Admiral  Duncan's  famous  action 
off  Campcrdov;ii,  the  proportion  was  about  the  same 
as  that  of  the  Nile.  In  1793,  the  French  navy  was  in  its 
glory,  and  the  victories  obtained  over  ita  single  ships 
by  English  vessels  were  considered  unparalleled.  Yet 
in  fourteen  single  engagements,  considered  the  most 
remarkable,  and  in  which  the  ships,  with  one  excep- 
tion, ranged  from  thirty-six  guns  to  fifty-two,  the 
average  of  killed  and  wounded  was  only  seventeen 
per  ship,  while  in  four  encounterg  with  American 
vessels,  the  Constitution,  United  States  and  Wasp, 
the  average  was  a  hundred  and  eleven  to  each  vessel. 


If 


176 


SECOND  WAB  WITH  ENGLAND. 


Jan.  9. '. 


This  success  of  the  navy  at  length  roneed  Con- 
gress to  do  something  in  its  aid,  and  an  act  was 
passed  on  the  2d  of  January,  authorizing  the 
President  to  build  four  seventy-fours,  and  six 
ships  of  forty-four  guns,  thus  increasing  the  force  of 
the  navy  tenfold.  On  the  3d  of  March,  by  another 
act,  it  authorized  the  building  of  such  vctisels  on  the 
lakes  as  was  deemed  necessary  to  their  protection. 
Sums  were  also  voted  to  the  officers  and  crews  as 
prize  money. 


III 


iiiii 
•I  '^  "' 
if 


CHAPTER  Vn. 

Harrison  plans  a  winter  campaign— Advance  of  the  army— Battlo  and  massacre  at 
the  Biyer  Saisin— Baseness  of  Proctor— Promoted  hj  his  Government— Tecom- 
seli,  his  character  and  eloquence— He  stirs  np  the  Creeks  to  war^Massacre  at 
Fort  Mimms— Investment  of  Fort  Meigs— Advance  of  Clay's  reinforcements  and 
their  destraction— Successful  sortie— Flight  of  the  besiegers— Mi^or  Crogban'i 
gallant  defence  of  Fort  Stephenson. 

The  army  of  General  Harrison,  which  in  October 
was  slowly  pushing  its  way  towards  Maiden  to  De- 
troit, soon  became  involved  in  difficulties  that  com- 
pelled him  to  abandon  his  original  design  of  an 
autumnal  campaign.  The  lakes  being  in  possession 
of  the  enemy,  provisions,  ammunition  and  cannon  had 
to  be  transported  by  land,  through  swamps  and  along 
forest  paths  which  could  be  traced  only  by  blazed 
trees,  and  traversed  only  when  the  ground  was 
frozen.  He  therefore  occupied  his  time  in  sending 
out  detachments  and  hurrying  up  his  forces,  in  order 
to  be  ready  to  advance  when  the  frozen  ground,  and 
especially  the  ice  along  the  margin  of  the  lake 
would  facilitate  the  transportation  of  his  guns  and 
munitions  of  war. 

General  Tapper  made  two  attempts,  first  from  Fort 


^i 


lis 


SECOND  WAB  WITH  ENGLAND. 


ilKI  ilWilitM, 


WiWE 


Defiance  and  afterwards  from  Fort  McArthur,  to 
dislodge  the  Indians  at  the  Bapids,  but  failed  in 
both.  Another  detachment  under  Col.  Campbell 
left  Franklintown  in  December,  to  attack  the  Indian 
villages  on  the  Missisineway,  which  were  reached  on 
the  18th,  and  four  out  of  five  destroyed. 

At  length  the  column  which  formed  the  right  of 
this  army,  nominally  of  ten  thousand  men,  having 
arrived  at  Sandusky  with  the  park  of  artillery.  Gen. 
Harrison  gave  the  order  for  the  whole  to  move  for- 
ward.   In  three  divisions,  one  from  Sandusky,  one 
from  Fort  McArthur,  and  the  third  under  General 
Winchester,  from  Fort  Defiance,  were  to  advance  to 
the  Rapids  of  the  Maumee,  there  take  in  their  sup- 
ply of  ordnance  and  provisions,  and  proceed  at  once 
to  invest  Maiden.    Harrison,  commanding  the  cen- 
tral division,  started  on  the  31st  of  December.    Gen. 
Winchester,  who  had  moved  six  miles  from  Fort  De- 
fiance, to  Camp  No.  3,  did  not  commence  his  marcli 
till  the  8th  of  January.    It  was  a  cold  bitter  day 
and  the  snow  lay  over  two  feet  deep  in  the  forest 
when  that  doomed  column,  one  thousand  strong,  set 
out  for  the  Rapids,  twenty-seven  miles  distant.    Tlie 
troops,  most  of  whom  were  Kentuckians,  were  brave 
and  hardy,  and  cheerfully  harnessing  themselves  to 
sledges  dragged  their  baggage  through  the  deep 
snow.    Gen.  Winchester  was  ordered  to  fortify  him- 
eelf  at  the  Rapids  and  wait  the  arrival  of  the  other 


FEENCnTOWN. 


179 


troops.  But  three  days  after  ho  reached  the  place, 
while  constructing  huts  to  receive  the  supplies  on 
the  way,  and  sleds  for  their  transportation  to  Mai- 
den, he  received  an  urgent  request  from  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Frenchtown,  a  small  settlement  nearly  forty 
miles  distant,  on  the  River  Raisin,  to  come  to  their 
rescue.  Feeling,  however,  the  importance  of  fulfill- 
ing his  orders,  he  gave  the  messengers  no  encour- 
agement. But  another  express  on  the  next  day,  and 
a  third  the  day  after,  telling  him  that  the  whole  set- 
tlement was  threatened  with  massacre  by  the  In- 
dians— that  only  a  small  force  of  the  enemy  held  pos- 
session of  the  place,  and  by  a  prompt  answer  to 
their  prayer  the  ruin  of  all  would  be  presented,  he 
called  a  council  of  war.  Col.  Allen,  and  other  gal- 
lant officers,  pleaded  the  cause  of  the  helpless  set- 
tlers with  all  the  eloquence  of  true  sympathy.  They 
declared  that  the  chief  object  of  the  expedition  was  to 
protect  the  frontiers  from  the  merciless  Indians,  and 
that  brave  men  spurned  danger  when  the  prayers 
of  women  and  children  were  sounding  in  their  ears. 
Such  appeals  prevailed  over  the  cooler  and  safer 
arguments  drawn  from  the  necessity  of  not  damag- 
ing the  success  of  the  whole  campaign  by  perilling 
one  of  the  wings  of  the  advancing  army,  and  a  de- 
tachment of  five  hundred  men,  imder  Colonel 
Lewis  was  sent  forward  to  Presque  Isle,  there 
to  await  the  arrival  of  the  main  column.    But  this 


Jan.  20. 


180 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


ill 


1 


III. 


officer  hearing  at  the  latter  place  that  an  adv^jjce 
party  of  French  and  Indians  were  already  in  pos- 
Bession  ot  Frenchtown,  hurried  forward,  and  the 
next  day  in  the  aflemoon  arrived  on  the  banks  of 
the  stream  opposite  the  village.  The  river  being 
frozen,  he  immediately  ordered  the  charge  to  be 
sounded.  The  column  advanced  steadily  across  on 
the  ice,  and  entering  the  village  under  a  heavy  fire 
of  the  British,  forced  them  from  their  position  and 
soon  drove  them  to  the  woods,  when  darkness  closed 
the  combat.  Two  days  after.  General  Winchester 
arrived  with  a  reinforcement  of  two  hundred  and 
fifty  men.  He  had  sent  a  dispatch  to  Gen.  Harrison, 
then  on  the  Lower  Sandusky,  announcing  his  depar- 
ture from  his  orders,  and  asking  for  reinforce- 
*  ments.  The  latter  sent  forv  d  a  detachment 
of  three  hundred,  and  followed  himself  the  same 
day  with  a  coi-ps  of  three  hundred  and  sixty  men. 
The  assistance,  however,  came  too  late,  for  on  the 
day  before  they  started,  the  fate  of  Gen.  Winches- 
ter's army  was  sealed.  Gen.  Proctor,  at  Maiden, 
only  eighteen  miles  distant,  hearing  of  Col.  Lewis' 
advance  on  Frenchtown,  hurried  down  with  about 
1500  men  and  six  pieces  of  artillery  to  attack  him. 
The  latter  had  stationed  the  main  force  behind  pick- 
ets, in  the  form  of  a  half  circle,  but  the  two  hundred 
and  fifty  men  who  had  arrived  with  Gen.  Winches- 
ter were,  through  some  strange  fatuity,  placed  out- 


)l 


BATTLE  OF  FRENCHTOWN. 


181 


side,  four  hundred  yards  distant,  and  wholly  uncov- 
ered. Just  as  the  drums  beat  the  morning  reveilld, 
Proctor  advanced  to  the  assault.  The  troops  came 
on  steadily  till  within  range  of  the  Kentucky  rifles, 
when  they  were  met  by  such  a  fierce  and  deadly 
fire  that  they  wheeled  and  fled  in  conf      ^n. 

But,  while  the  attack  in  front  was  thu  repulsed, 
that  on  the  unprotected  left  wing  of  two  hundred, 
and  fifty  men  was,  in  a  few  minutes,  completely  suc- 
cessful. Such  a  preposterous  position,  as  that  to 
to  which  it  was  assigned,  no  sane  man  could  dream 
of  holding.  Outflanked,  and  almost  surrounded  by 
yelling  Indians,  its  danger  was  perceived  when  too 
late  to  remedy  it.  General  Winchester  and  Colonel 
Lewis,  however,  each  with  a  detachment  of  fifty 
men,  rushed  forward  to  the  rescue,  but  they  only 
swelled  the  disaster.  Their  followers  were  cut  down 
and  tomahawked,  and  they  themselves  captured,  and 
taken  to  Proctor.  The  latter  had  paused  after  his 
attack  on  the  pickets,  for  nearly  one-fourth  of  the 
regular  troops  had  fallen  in  that  one  assault,  and  he 
hesitated  about  eixposing  himself  again  to  the  deadly 
fire  of  Kentucky  rifles.  It  is  very  doubtful  whe- 
ther he  would  have  ventured  on  a  second  attack. 
He,  however,  represented  to  General  Winchester, 
that  he  could  easily  set  the  town  on  fire,  and  reduce 
the  garrison ;  but,  in  that  case,  he  would  not  guar- 
antee the  lives  of  the  soldiers,  or  the  inhabitants 


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WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)872-4503 


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«• 


182 


BEOOITD  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


from  the  barbarity  of  the  Indians.    General  "Win- 
chester fully  believing  that  the  five  hundred  men, 
who  still  gazed  undauntedly  on  the  foe,  must  be 
sacrificed,  agreed  to  a  capitulation ;  and  an  officer 
was  sent  with  a  flag  to  Major  Madison,  on  whom  the 
command  had  devolved,  informing  him  of  the  un- 
conditional surrender  of  all  the  troops  by  his  supe- 
rior officer.    The  brave  major,  who  did  not  at  all 
look  upon  himself  and  gallant  band  as  vanquished 
men,  indignantly  refused  to  obey  so  unworthy  a 
summons,  even  from  his  rightful  commander,  and 
coolly  told  the  officer,  "  he  should  do  no  such  thing ; 
nay,  would  not  surrender  at  all,  unless  the  side  arms 
of  the  officere  would  be  restored  to  them  at  Amherts- 
burg,  the  wounded  promptly  and  securely  trans- 
ported to  that  post,  and  a  guard  sufficient  for  their 
safety  assigned  them."*    If  the  British  commander 
refused  to  grant  these  terms,  he  and  his  men  would 
fight  to  the  last,  and,  if  necessary,  die  with  their 
arms  in  their  hands.    This  proposition,  to  which  any 
officer  fit  to  wear  a  sword  would  have  cheerfully  ac- 
cepted. Proctor  at  first  rejected,  and  yielded  at  last 
only  because  no  other  terms  would  be  listened  to.  But 
no  sooner  did  the  garrison  surrender,  than  in  direct 
violation  of  the  conditions,  he  gave  unbridled  license 
to  the  soldiers  and  Indians.    The  latter  were  allowed 


«  Vide  Armstrong's  Notices  of  the  War  of  1812. 


MA8SA0BE  AT  FBBNOHTOWN. 


188 


L  Win- 
i  men, 
LUst  be 
officer 
om  the 
the  un- 
LB  supe- 
t;  at  all 
:][ui8hed 
jrthy  a 
ler,  and 
I  thing ; 
de  arms 
.mherts- 

trans- 
ir  their 

Lander 

would 
[h  their 
|ich  any 

illy  ac- 
at  last 

;o.  But 
direct 

license 

llowed 


to  scalp  and  mutilate  the  dead  and  wounded,  whose 
bleeding  corpses  crimsoned  the  snow  on  every  side. 
Proctor,  fearing  the  approach  of  Harrison,  made  all 
haste  to  depart,  and  the  next  night  reached  Amherts- 
burg  with  the  prisoners,  who  were  there  crowded 
into  a  "  small  and  muddy  wood  yard,  and  exposed 
throughout  the  night  to  a  cold  and  constant  rain, 
without  tents  or  blankets,  and  with  only  fire  enough 
to  keep  them  from  freezing."  He  had  brutally  left 
the  dead  at  French  town  unburied,  and  sixty  of  the 
wounded,  who  were  too  feeble  to  march,  unprotected. 
By  a  great  stretch  of  kindness,  he  allowed  two  Ame- 
rican surgeons  to  remain  and  take  care  of  them. 
He  had  promised  to  send  sleds  the  next  day,  to  con- 
vey them  to  Maiden.  These  never  arrived;  but, 
instead,  there  came  a  party  of  his  Indian  allies,  who 
tomahawked  a  portion  of  the  wounded,  and  then  set 
fire  to  the  houses,  consuming  the  dead  and  dying 
together,  and  responding  to  the  shrieks  of  the  suffer- 
ing victims  with  yells  and  savage  laughter.  Captain 
Hart,  a  relative  of  Henry  Clay,  was  among  the  num- 
ber, as  was  also  a  member  of  Congress.  Hart, 
and  indeed  a  large  majority  of  them,  belonged 
to  the  most  respectable  families  of  Kentucky. 
One  officer  was  scalped  in  presence  of  his  friends, 
and  with  the  blood  streaming  down  his  pallid  fea- 
tures, rose  on  his  kness,  and  silently  and  most  pite- 
ously  gazed  on  their  faces.    While  in  this  position, 


m 
'"^l 


\n 


i  ,1 


Y  r 


'  '■     it- 


il 


184 


BEOGSD  WAB  WITH  ENOLAITD. 


i\  i'a 


an  Indian  boy  was  told  by  bis  fatber  to  tomabawk 
bim.  The  iinskilfol  stripling  struck  again  and  again, 
onlj  producing  faint  groans  from  the  sufferer,  till  at 
length  the  father,  in  showing  bow  a  blow  should  be 
planted,  ended  the  tragedy.  The  secretary  of.Gene- 
ral  Winchester  was  shot  while  on  horseback,  and 
scalped,  and  bis  body  stripped  and  cast  into  the 
road.  The  dead,  to  the  number  of  two  hundred, 
were  left  unburied ;  and,  for  a  long  time  after,  hogs 
and  dogs  were  seen  devouring  the  bodies,  and  run- 
ning about  crunching  human  skulls  and  arms  in 
their  teeth.  Most  of  these  facts  were  sworn  to  be- 
fore  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  forwarded  by  Judge 
Woodward,  of  the  supreme  court  of  Michigan,  to 
Colonel  Proctor,  with  the  remark, "  The  truth  will  un- 
doubtedly eventually  appear,  and  that  unfortunate 
day  must  meet  the  steady  and  impartial  eye  of 
history."  General  Harrison  was  at  the  Bapids,  hur- 
rying on  the  reinforcements,  when  be  heard  of  the 
catastrophe.  A  few  days  after,  he  dispatched  Dr. 
M'Kechen  with  a  flag  of  truce  to  the  river  Eaisin, 
to  pass  thence,  if  possible,  to  Maiden.  Seized  by 
the  Indians  and  stript,  be  was  at  length  taken  to 
Captain  Elliot,  who  kindly  forwarded  him  to  Colonel 
Proctor.  The  latter  denied  his  mission,  declaring 
be  was  a  spy,  and  would  not  recognize  him,  in 
bis  official  character,  till  the  fifth  of  February. 
Three  weeks  after,  he  was  accused  of  carrying  on  a 


KENTUOKT  ABOVBED. 


185 


lawk 
gain, 
iUat 
Id  be 
j^ene- 
,  and 
»  the 
idred, 
,liog8 
drun- 
rms  in 
tobe- 
Judge 


ran, 


secret  correspondence  with  the  Americans,  and  with- 
out the  form  of  a  trial  thrown  into  a  filthy  dungeon 
below  the  surface  of  the  ground,  where  he  lay  for  a 
whole  mouth,  and  was  finally  liberated,  only  to 
carry  the  seeds  of  disease,  implanted  by  this  brutal 
treatment,  to  his  grave. 

When  the  news  of  this  horrid  massacre  reached 
Kentucky,  the  State  was  filled  with  mourning,  for 
many  of  her  noblest  sons  had  fallen  victims  to  the 
savage.  The  Governor  and  his  suite  were  in  the 
theatre  at  the  time  the  disastrous  tidings  arrived  in 
Frankfort.  The  play  was  immediately  stopped,  the 
building  deserted,  and  the  next  morning  a  funereal 
sadness  rested  on  the  town,  and  the  voice  of  lament- 
ation— ^like  that  which  went  up  from  Egypt  when 
the  first  bom  of  every  house  was  slain — ^arose  from 
almost  every  dwelling.  But  amid  it  all  there  was  a 
smothered  cry  for  vengeance,  which  never  ceased 
ringing  over  the  State,  until  it  was  hushed  in 
,  the  shout  of  victory  that  rose  from  the  battle-field 
of  the  Thames. 

Language  has  no  epithets  sufficiently  opprobrious 
with  which  to  stamp  this  atrocious  deed  of  Colonel 
Proctor.  It  combines  all  the  inhuman  elements 
necessary  to  form  a  perfect  monster  —  deceit, 
treachery,  falsehood,  murder,  and  that  refinement  of 
cruelty  which  looks  with  derision  on  slow  torture, 
and  the  brutality  which  can  insult  the  dead.    The 


'> 


I' 

ax 


!      ! 


I 


ii 


'   H 


1 1 


;i|i 


I 


186 


SECOND  WAB  WITH  ENaLAND. 


very  apologies  which  his  coantrymen  made  for  him 
only  blackened  his  character.  It  was  said  that  the 
prisoners  surrendered  at  discretion,  and  he  never 
pledged  his  word  for  their  protection — ^a  falsehood 
as  afterwards  fully  proved  by  the  prisoners,  and  a 
statement,  whether  true  or  false,  utterly  useless,  only 
to  make  the  whole  transaction  complete  and  perfect 
in  every  part.  No  man  who  was  sufficiently  ac- 
quainted with  honor  to  simulate  it  successfully, 
would  have  attempted  to  cover  an  act  so  damning 
with  such  an  excuse.  The  annals  of  civilized  war- 
fare present  no  instance  of  the  massacre  and  torture 
of  troops  who  have  surrendered  themselves  prison- 
ers of  war  on  a  fair  battle-field.  An  act  like  this, 
committed  by  a  British  officer  on  the  plains  of  Eu- 
rope, sustained  only  by  such  an  apology,  would  cost 
him  his  head.  Absolute  inability,  on  the  part  of  a 
commander  to  protect  his  captives,  is  the  only  ex- 
cuse a  man  would  ever  oflter.  This  Proctor  had  not, 
for  his  allies  were  under  his  control  and  he  knew  it. 
At  all  events  he  never  attempted  to  save  the  prison- 
ers. No  guard  was  left  over  the  wounded,  as  he 
had  stipulated  to  do — no  sleighs  were  sent  back  the 
next  morning  to  fetch  them  to  Fort  Maiden,  as 
promised — ^no  effort  whatever  made  in  their  behalf. 
He  never  designed  to  keep  his  promises  or  fulfil  his 
engagements — he  had  abandoned  the  dead  and 
wounded  at  Frenchtown  to  his  savage  allies,  as  their 


PBOOTOB  8  OHASAOTEB. 


187 


r  him 
,t  the 
Dever 
ahood 
and  a 
J,  only 
►erfect 
ly  ac- 
sfully, 
mning 
i  war- 
torture 
prison- 
:e  this, 
of  Eu- 
ild  cost 
rt  of  a 
nly  ex- 
lad  not, 
new  it. 


part  of  the  reward.  Our  troops  frequently  employed 
Indian  tribes,  but  no  such  atrocities  were  ever  suf- 
fered to  sully  the  American  flag.  The  whole  trans- 
action, from  first  to  last,  is  black  as  night.  His  de- 
ceit, treachery,  cruelty  to  officers  and  men,  neglect 
of -the  dead  and  abandonment  of  the  wounded  to 
worse  than  death — his  after  falsehood,  meanness  and 
cupidity  are  all  natural  and  necessary  parts  to  the 
formation  of  a  thoroughly  base  and  brutal  man.  He 
was  a  disgrace  to  his  profession,  a  disgrace  to  the 
army  and  to  the  nation  which  rewarded  him  for  this 
act  with  promotion.  His  memory  shall  be  kept  fresh 
while  the  western  hemisphere  endures,  and  the 
transaction  hold  a  prominent  place  in  the  list  of  dark 
deeds  that  stand  recorded  against  the  English  name. 
Just  a  month  from  this  date  three  American  seamen 
went  down  in  the  Peacock,  while  nobly  struggling 
to  save  the  prisoners.  A  few  years  before,  some 
Turkish  captives,  in  Egypt,  being  paroled  by  Napo- 
leon, were  afterwards  retaken  in  a  desperate  battle 
and  sentenced  by  a  council  of  war  to  be  shot.  Al- 
though they  had  forfeited  their  lives  by  the  laws  of 
all  civilized  nations,  in  thus  breaking  their  parole, 
and  proved  by  their  conduct  that  a  second  pardon 
would  simply  be  sending  them  as  a  reinforcement 
to  the  enemy,  and  though  Bonaparte  only  carried 
into  execution  the  decision  of  a  council  of  war,  yet 
for  this  act  of  his,  English  historians  to  this  day  heap 


I 


>'  '  ■ 


u 


,  n 


'  > 


1  .; 


188 


SECOND  WAB  WITH  BNOLAHD. 


upon  him  the  epithets  of  murderer  and  monster ;  while 
not  the  mere  murder,  which  would  have  been  compa- 
rative kindness,  but  the  abandonment  of  American 
prisoners  to  slow  torture  by  lire  and  the  scalping 
knife,  was  rewarded  with  promotion  in  the  army. 

The  difficulties  which  our  volunteers  and  new 
levies  unaccustomed  to  such  hardships,  had  to  con- 
tend with  on  the  western  frontier,  may  be  gathered 
from  the  march  of  the  three  hundred  men  dispatched 
to  the  aid  of  Winchester,  but  who  did  not  arrive  till 
after  the  massacre.  Starting  with  twenty  pieces  of 
artillery,  in  a  heavy  snow  storm,  they  boldly  pierced 
the  wilderness,  but  made  the  first  day  only  a  short 
march.  The  next  day,  a  courier  arrived  toiling 
through  snow  and  mud,  ordering  the  artillery  to  ad- 
vance with  all  speed.  But  under  the  weight  of  the 
heavy  guns,  the  wheels  sunk  to  their  axles  with  every 
slow  revolution,  and  it  was  only  by  dint  of  great  ef- 
fort, they  were  got  on  at  all.  After  a  weary  day's 
march,  they  encamped  around  a  blazing  fire,  and 
were  just  making  their  scanty  meal,  when  a  mes- 
senger entered  the  camp,  stating,  that  Harrison  had 
retreated  from  the  Bapids.  A  portion  immediately 
resolved  to  push  on  to  his  help,  and  snatching  a  few 
hours  of  repose,  they,  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
tumbled  up  from  their  couch  of  snow,  and  falling  into 
marching  order,  hurried  forward  through  the  gloom. 
To  add  to  their  discomfort  and  sufferings,  a  Janu- 


A  WBABT  MABOH. 


189 


mpa- 
rican 
Iping 

ay- 
new 

0  con- 

ihered 

itched 

ive  till 

ces  of 

)ierced 

i  Bbort 

toiling 

r  to  ad- 
of  the 
every 
•eat  ef- 
day's 
e,  and 
a  mes- 
;on  had 
idiately 
[g  a  few 
loming, 
kng  into 
gloom, 
a  Janu- 


ary rain-Btorm  had  set  in,  making  the  whole  surface 
one  yielding  mass,  into  which  they  sunk  sometimes 
to  their  waists.  Drenched  to  the  skin  with  the  pelt- 
ing rain,  stnmbling  and  falling  at  almost  every  step 
in  the  dissolving  snow,  they  kept  on,  and  at  length 
reached  the  black  swamp,  near  Portage  river.  This 
was  four  miles  across,  and  was  covered  with  a  broad 
sheet  of  water  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  Out 
of  the  untroubled  surface  rose  the  trunks  of  sickly 
looking  and  decayed  trees,  presenting  amid  the 
black  and  driving  rain,  a  spectacle  sufficient  to 
chill  and  benumb  the  most  manly  heart.  Ice  was 
beneath,  but  of  its  strength,  or  of  the  depth  below, 
no  one  could  tell.  The  soldiers,  however,  hurried 
forward  into  the  water,  and  though  the  rotten, 
treacherous  ice  under  their  feet  would  often  give 
way,  letting  them  down,  till  their  farther  r]  ascent 
was  arrested  by  their  arms ;  they  kept  intrtpidly 
on,  till,  at  length,  the  last  mile  was  won,  and 
weary  and  staggering  they  emerged  on  the  far- 
ther side.  Although  on  the  whole  route,  there  were 
but  eight  miles  where  they  did  not  sink  below  the 
knee,  and  often  to  the  middle,  this  gallant  band  ac- 
complished thirty  miles  by  night  fall.  "Weary,  dispi- 
rited and  benumbed,  they  then  encamped,  and  without 
an  axe,  cooking  utensils,  or  a  tent  to  cover  them, 
sat  down  on  logs,  and  harlng  kindled  a  feeble  fire 
made  their  meagre  repast.    They  then  placed  two 


:, 


■a 
0- 


f  i 


i  r 


t'li 


190 


SECOND  WAU  WITH  KNOLAIO). 


logs  together  to  keep  them  from  the  melting  snow, 
and  lay  in  rows  across  them,  exposed  to  the  pitiless 
storm.  Next  morning,  they  continued  their  march, 
and  effected  a  junction  with  the  army. 

To  such  hardships  and  exposures  were  the  sons  of 
gentlemen  and  farmers  subjected,  in  those  disheart- 
ening northern  campaigns  which  ended  only  in 
failure. 

.  While  such  scenes  were  transpiring  in  the  north, 
there  occurred  one  of  those  events  which  form  the 
romance  and  poetry  of  the  American  wilderness. 
At  this  time,  Michigan  was  an  unbroken  forest,  with 
the  exception  of  Detroit,  and  a  few  settlements  along 
the  line  of  the  lakes,  containing  in  all,  but  five  or  six 
thousand  inhabitants.  Ohio  had  but  300,000,  while 
2,000  Indians  still  held  their  lands  within  its  limits. 
Thirteen  thousand  constituted  the  entire  white  popu- 
lation of  Illinois.  These  states,  which  now  number  by 
millions,  were  then  almost  wholely  unknown,  except 
on  the  borders  of  the  lakes  and  the  Ohio  river.  All 
through  the  interior,  numerous  tribes  of  Indians 
roomed  undisturbed,  and  hung,  in  black  and  threat- 
ening war  clouds,  around  the  borders  of  civilization. 
The  English  had  succeeded  in  exciting  many  of 
these  to  hostilities  against  the  settlers.  Their  efforts 
were  aided  in  a  masterly  manner  by  Tecumseh,  a 
Shawnee  warrior,  who  had  imbibed  a  bitter,  undy- 
ing hostility  to  the  Americans.    Brave,  temperate, 


ii. ' 


TB0UM8EH. 


191 


now, 
tiless 
larcli, 

>nBof 
ilieart- 
ily  in 


scorning  a  lie,  and  despising  tlie  spoils  of  war,  he 
fought  to  restore  his  race  to  their  ancient  rights  and 
power.  Unable  to  cope  with  the  Americans  alone, 
he  gladly  availed  himself  of  our  declaration  of  war 
to  form  an  alliance  with  the  British.  lifted  by  na- 
tive genius  above  the  vices  of  savages,  he  also  ex- 
hibited a  greatness  of  intellect,  and  loftiness  of 
character,  which,  in  civilized  life,  would  have  led  to 
the  highest  renown.  Despising  the  petty  rivalries 
of  tribes  and  chiefs,  he  became  absorbed  in  the  grand 
idea  of  uniting  all  the  Indian  clans  in  one  great  and 
desperate  struggle  for  mastery  with  the  whites.  He 
had  succeeded  in  carrying  out  his  scheme,  to  a  great 
extent,  throughout  the  North  and  "West.  Of  erect, 
athletic  frame,  noble,  commanding  appearance,  with 
the  air  of  a  king,  and  the  eloquence  of  a  Demos- 
thenes when  rousing  the  Greeks  to  arms  against 
Philip,  he  went  from  tribe  to  tribe  electrifying  them 
with  his  appeals,  and  rousing  them  to  madness  by 
his  fiery  denunciations  against  their  oppressors.  His 
brother,  the  prophet,  accompanied  him, — a  dark, 
subtle,  cunning  impostor,  to  whose  tricks  Tecumseh 
submitted  for  awhile,  because  they  foiled  the  hatred 
and  deceit  of  rival  chiefs.  As  he  arose  before  his 
savage  audiences,  his  imposing  manner  created  a 
feeling  of  awe ;  but  when  he  kindled  with  his  great 
subject,  he  seemed  like  one  inspired.  His  eye 
flashed  fire,  his  swarthy  bosom  heaved  and  swelled 


! '  i.ar  i  t 


k    ifev 


192 


flicoTn)  WAR  wrrn  enoland. 


with  imprisoned  passion,  his  whole  form  dilated  with 
excitement,  and  his  strong  untutored  soul  poured 
itself  forth  in  eloquence,  wild,  headlong,  and  resist- 
less, as  the  mountain  torrent.  Thoughts,  imagery 
leaped  from  his  lips  in  such  life  and  yividness  that 
the  stoicism  of  the  Indian  vanished  before  them,  and 
his  statue-like  face  gleamed  with  passion.  The  peo- 
ple he  always  carried  with  him ;  but  the  chiefs,  who 
feared  his  power  over  their  followers,  often  thwarted 
his  plans.  When  not  addressing  the  clans,  he  was 
reserved,  cold,  and  haughty.  His  withering  sar- 
casm, when  Proctor  proposed  to  retreat  from  Mai- 
den ;  his  reply  to  the  interpreter,  who  offering  him 
a  chair  in  the  presence  of  Harrison,  said,  "  Your 
father  wishes  you  to  be  seated;"  "My  father  1  the 
sun  is  my  father,  and  the  earth  my  mother,"  as  he 
stretched  himself  proudly  on  the  ground,  reveal  a 
nature  conscious  of  its  greatness,  and  scorning  the 
distinctions  which  the  white  man  arrogated  to  him- 
self. 

After  passing  through  the  northern  tribes,  he  took 
his  brother,  and  went  south  to  the  Creeks,  to  com- 
plete the  plan  of  a  general  alliance.  The  journey 
of  nearly  a  thousand  miles  through  the  wilderness, 
of  these  two  brothers,---the  discussion  of  their  deep- 
laid  scheme  at  night  around  their  camp-fire, — the 
day-dreams  of  Tecumseh,  as  gorgeous  as  ever  flitted 
before  the  imagination  of  a  Csesar, — the  savage  em- 


ai 


TB0TT1f8BH*8     ELOQTRNCK. 


198 


I  with 
»oured 
reaist- 
aagery 
IBB  that 
)in,  and 
bepeo- 
sfs,  wlio 
awarted 
J  he  was 
ing  sar- 
om  Mal- 
ting Wm 
I, "  Your 
iherl  the 
,r,"  as  he 
reveal  a 
Ling  the 
to  him- 


pire  destined  to  rise  under  his  hand,  and  the  great- 
ness he  would  restore  to  his  despised  race,  would 
make  a  grand  epic.    Pathless  mountains  and  gloomy 
swamps  were  traversed ;    deep  rivers  swam,  and 
weariness  and  toil  endured,  not  for  spoils  or  revenge, 
but  to  carry  out  a  great  idea.    There  is  a  rude,  Tus- 
can grandeur  about  him,  as  he  thus  moves  through 
the  western  wilderness  impelled  by  a  high  purpose, 
— a  barbaric  splendor  thrown  about  even  the  mer- 
ciless measures  he  means  to  adopt,  by  the  great 
moral  scheme  to  which  they  are  to  be  subject.     His 
combinations  exhibited  the  consummate  general. 
While  England  occupied  lis  along  the  sea-coast,  he 
determined  to  sweep  in  one  vast  semi-circle  from 
Michilimackinac  to  Florida  upon  the  scattered  set- 
tlements.  Fires  were  to  be  kindled  North  and  South, 
and  West,  to  bum  towards  the  centre,  while  civilized 
war&re  should  desolate  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Al- 
leghanies.    Tecumseh  had  seen  Hull  surrender,  and 
knew  that  the  British  had  been  victorious  all  along 
the  frontier.    His  prospects  were  brightening,  and 
with  this  glorious  news  to  back  his  burning  elo- 
anence,  he  had  no  doubt  of  exciting  the  Southern 
ijibes  to  war.    The  Chickasaws  and  Choctaws  in 
Mississippi,  numbered  over  thirty  thousand ;    the 
Creeks  twenty-five  thousand,  while  south  of  them 
dwelt  the  large  and  warlike  tribe  of  the  Scminoles. 
His  chief  mission  was  to  the  Creeks,  from  whom,  on 


194: 


SECOND  WAB  WITH  ENGLAND. 


Fi'   I 


his  mother's  side,  he  was  descended.  This  powerful 
clan  stretched  from  the  southern  borders  of  Tennessee 
nearly  to  Florida.  The  sun  in  his  course  looked 
on  no  fairer,  richer  land  than  the  country  they  held. 
Some  of  them  had  learned  the  arts  of  civilization, 
and,  hitherto,  had  evinced  a  friendly  disposition  to 
wards  the  whites.  But  British  influence  working 
through  the  Spanish  authorities  in  Florida,  had 
already  prepared  them  for  Tecumseh's  visit.  An 
alliance,  offensive  and  defensive,  had  been  formed 
between  England  and  Spain ;  and  the  armies  of  the 
former  were  then  in  the  Peninsula,  endeavoring  to 
wrest  the  throne  from  Bonaparte.  The  latter,  there- 
fore, was  bound  to  assist  her  ally  on  this  continent, 
and  so  lent  her  aid  in  exciting  the  Southern  Indians 
to  hostility. 

The  year  before.  General  "Wilkinson  had  been  dis- 
patched to  take  possession  of  a  corner  of  Lousiania, 
still  claimed  by  the  Spanish.  He  advanced  on  Mo- 
bile, and  sei'^.cu  without  opposition  the  old  fort  of 
Conde,  built  in  the  time  of  Louis  the  XIV.  He  here 
found  abundant  evidence  of  the  machinations  of  the 
Spanish  and  English.  Runners  had  been  sent  to 
the  Seminoles  and  Creeks  offering  arms  and  bribes, 
if  they  would  attack  the  frontier  settlements.  But 
for  this,  Tecumseh,  with  all  his  eloquence,  might 
have  failed.  Co-operating  with  the  British  agents 
in  Florida,  as  he  had  done  with  Brock  and  Proctor 


MASSACRE  AT  FOBT    MDfMS. 


195 


)werful 
niiessee 
looked 
ey  held, 
lization, 
ition  to 
working 
da,  had 
sit.  An 
I  formed 
es  of  the 
voring  to 
ter,  there- 
continent, 
•n  Indians 

I  beon  dis- 
lousiania, 
ed  on  Mo- 
ld fort  of 

He  here 
ions  of  the 
m  sent  to 
.nd  bribes, 
enis.    ^iit 

ce,  might 
ish  agents 

d  Proctor 


in  Canada,  he  at  length  saw  his  cherished  scheme 
about  to  be  fulfilled.    The  old  and  more  peaceful, — 
those  who  had  settled  in  well-built  towns,  with  schools, 
and  flocks,  and  farms  about  them, — opposed  the  war 
which  would  devastate  their  land,  and  drive  them 
back  to  barbarism.     But  the  eloquence  of  Tecumseh, 
as  he  spoke  of  the  multiplied  wrongs  of  the  Indians, 
and  their  humiliation,  described  the  glories  to  be  won, 
and  painted  in  glowing  colors  the  victories  he  had 
gained  in  the  North,  kindled  into  a  blaze  the  war- 
like feelings  of  the  young ;  and  soon  ominous  tidings 
came  from  the  bosom  of  the  wilderness  that  stretched 
along  the  Coosa  and  Talapoosa  rivers.  Having;  kindled 
the  flames,  he  again  turned  his  footsteps  northward. 
Anxiety  and  alarm  soon  spread  among  the  white 
settlers,  and  the  scattered  families  sought  shelter  in 
the  nearest  forts.    Twenty-four  had  thus  congregated 
at  Fort  Mimms,  a  mere  block-house,  situated  on  the 
Alabama,  near  the  junction  of  the  Tombigbee.    It 
was  garrisoned  by  a  hundred  and  forty  men,  com- 
manded by  Major  Beasely,  and,  with  proper  care, 
could  have  resisted  the  attacks  of  the  savages.    But 
the  rumors  of  a  rising  among  the  Indians  were  dis- 
credited.    A  negro  who  stated  he  had  seen  them  in 
the  vicinity,   was  chastised  for  spreading  a  false 
alarm.     The  night  preceding  the  massacre,  the  dogs 
growled  and  barked,  showing  that  they  scented  In- 
dians in  the  air.    But  all  these  warnings  were  un- 


Kl 


m  M 


1 


Wiim 


I 


'!    i  i 


196 


SBOOND  WAB  WITH   ENGLAND. 


m 


heeded,  when  suddenly,  in  broad  midday,  the  sava- 
ges, some  seven  hundred  strong,  made  their  ap- 
pearance before  the  fort,  and  within  thirty  feet  of 
it,  before  they  were  discovered.  Tlie  gate  was  open, 
and  with  one  terrific  yell  they  dashed  through  into  the 
outer  enclosure,  driving  the  panic-stricken  soldiers 
into  the  houses  within.  Mounting  these  they  set  them 
on  fire,  and  shot  down  every  soul  that  attempted  to 
escape.  Seeing,  at  once,  their  inevitable  doom,  the 
soldiers  fought  with  the  energy  of  despair.  Eush- 
ing  madly  on  their  destroyere,  they  gave  blow  for 
blow,  and  laid  sixty  of  them  around  the  burning 
buildings  before  they  were  completely  overpowered. 
At  last,  a  yell  of  savage  triumph  rose  over  the  crack- 
ling of  flames,  and  cries  and  shrieks  of  terrified  wo- 
men and  children.  Then  followed  a  scene  which 
may  not  be  described.  The  wholesale  butchery, — 
the  ghastly  spectacle  of  nearly  three  hundred  muti- 
lated bodies,  hewed  and  hacked  into  fragments,  were 
nothing  to  the  inhuman  indignities  perpetrated  on 
the  women.  Children  were  ripped  from  the  mater- 
nal womb,  and  swung  as  war-clubs  against  the  heads 
of  the  mothers,  and  all  those  horrible  excesses  commit- 
ted, which  seem  the  offspring  of  demons. 

When  Tecumseh  reached  again  the  British  camp  in 
Canada,  he  found  the  American  army  at  fort  Meigs. 
Harrison,  after  Winchester's  defeat,  instead  of  boldly 
pushing  on  in  pursuit,  had  retreated.   He  was  a  brave 


FORT  MEIGS. 


197 


sava- 
r  ap- 
eet  of 
open, 
ito  the 
oldiers 
)tthem 
pted  to 
3in,  the 
Bush- 
low  for 
burning 
fowered. 
le  crack- 
,fied  wo- 
le  which 
chery,— 
•ed  muti- 
nts,  were 
rated  on 
le  mater- 
;he  heads 
comn^i*^ 


general,  but  lacked  the  energy  and  prompmess  neces- 
sary to  an  efficient  commander.  Thus  far  these 
qualities  seemed  confined  solely  to  tlie  English  offi- 
cers, leaving  to  ours  the  single  one  of  caution. 

Fort  Meigs  was  erected  on  the  Maumee,  just 
above  where  it  debouches  into  Lake  Erie.  Here  the 
army  remained  inactive,  serving  only  as  a  barrier  to 
the  Indians,  who  otherwise  would  have  fallen  on 
the  Ohio  settlements,  till  the  latter  part  of  April. 
General  Harrison  employed  the  winter  in  getting 
reinforcements  from  Ohio  and  Kentucky,  and  did 
not  reach  the  fort  till  the  first  of  the  month. 

In  the  mean  time,  Proctor  and  Tecumseh  had  or- 
ganized a  large  force  for  its  reduction.  On  the 
twenty-third,  the  sentinel  on  watch  reported  that  the 
boats  of  the  enemy,  in  great  numbers,  were  entering 
the  mouth  of  the  river.  The  fort,  at  this  time,  con- 
tained about  a  thousand  men,  and  was  well  supplied 
with  every  thing  necessary  for  a  long  and  stout  de- 
fence, while  twelve  hundred  Kentuckians,  under 
General  Clay,  were  marching  to  its  relief. 

Finding  the  fortifications  too  strong  to  be  carried 
by  assault.  Proctor  sat  down  before  them  in  regular 
seige.  The  light  troops  and  Indians  were  thrown 
across  the  river,  and  heavy  batteries  erected  on  the 
left  bank.  A  well-directed  cannonade  from  the  fort 
80  annoyed  the  beseigers,  that  they  were  compelled 
to  perform  most  of  their  work  by  night.    The  gar- 


ili 


■1  - 


m 


0. 
151m 

I 
[I 

[if 


108 


8E0Oin>  WAB  WITH  ENGLAKD. 


:a;:- 


rison,  at  first,  suffered  very  little,  except  from  scarcity 
of  water.  The  well  in  the  fort  having  dried  up,  they 
were  compelled  to  draw  their  supply  from  the  river. 
But  the  men  detailed  for  this  purpose,  were  con- 
stantly picked  off  by  skulking  Indians,  who  becom- 
ing emboldened  by  success  gradually  drew  closer 
around  the  beseiged ;  and  climbing  in^to  tall  trees, 
«nd  coikcealing  themselves  in  the  thick  foliage, 
rained  their  balls  into  the  works.  On  the  first  of 
May,  Proctor  having  completed  his  batteries,  opened 
bis  fire.  He  sent,  also,  a  summons  to  surrender, 
which  was  scornfully  rejedied  by  Harrison,  who 
maintained  a  brisk  cannonade  for  four  days,  when  the 
welcome  intelligence  was  received,  that  Clay  with 
his  twelve  hundred  Kentuckians  was  close  at  hand. 
Harrison  determined,  at  once,  to  raise  the  seige,  and 
dispatched  a  messenger  to  him,  to  land  eight  liun- 
dred  men  on  the  left  bank  of  the  river,  and  carry 
the  batteries  erected  there  by  storm,  and  spike  the 
guns;  while  the  remaining  four  hundred  should 
keep  down  the  right  bank  towards  the  batteries, 
against  which  he  would  make  a  sortie  from  the  fort. 
The  eight  hundred  were  placed  under  Colonel  Dud- 
ley, who  crossing  the  river  in  good  order,  advanced 
fiercely  on  the  batteries  and  swept  them.  Flushed 
with  the  easy  victory,  and  burning  to  revenge  their 
comrades  massacred  at  river  Baisin,  the  men  refused 
to  halt  and  spike  the  guns,  but  drove  furiously  on 


ill 


DEFEAT  OF  D\J1>/^T. 


199 


after  the  flying  troops,  or  turned  aside  to  fight  the 
Indians,  who  clung  to  the  forest.  In  the  mean  time, 
Proctor,  aroused  by  this  unexpected  onset,  hastened 
up  from  his  camp  a  mile  and  a  halt  below  with  rein- 
forcements, and  rallied  the  fugitives.  At  this  criti- 
cal moment,  Tecumseh  also  joined  him,  with  a  large 
body  of  Indians.  These  advancing  against  the  disor- 
dered Kentuckians,  drove  them  back  on  the  river. 
The  latter  fought  bravely,  but  discipline  and  num- 
bers told  too  heavily  against  them,  and  but  one 
hundred  and  fifty  of  these  gallant,  but  imprudent 
men  reached  the  farther  bank  in  safety.  Colonel 
Dudley  while  struggling  nobly  to  repair  the  error 
they  had  committed  in  refusing  to  obey  his  orders, 
fell  mortally  wounded.  The  small,  but  disciplined 
band  of  three  hundred  and  fifty,  led  by  Colonel  Mil- 
ler, of  the  nineteenth  infantry,  against  the  batteries 
on  the  right  bank,  carried  them  with  the  bayonet, 
and  spiking  the  guns  returned  with  forty-two  pri- 
soners. 

The  two  succeeding  days,  the  armies  remained  in- 
active. In  the  mean  time,  the  Indians  began  to 
return  home  in  large  numbers  ;  and  Proctor  deserted 
by  his  savage  allies,  resolved  to  abandon  the  seige. 
Embarking  his  heavy  ordnance  and  stores  under  a 
galling  fire  from  the  fort,  he  made  a  hasty  and  disor- 
derly retreat  down  the  river.  The  loss  of  the  Ameri- 
cans during  the  seige,  was  two  hundred  and  seventy 


it;-' 


t   V 


i  S 


f    1 


200 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


men  killed  and  wounded,  exclusive  of  the  destruction 
of  a  large  portion  of  Clay's  command.  Tliat  of  the 
British  was  much  less,  so  that  although  the  attack 
on  the  fort  had  failed,  the  Americans  were  by  far  the 
heaviest  sufferers. 

Harrison  leaving  the  fort  in  command  of  Colonel 
Clay,  repaired  to  Franklinton,  the  place  appointed 
for  the  rendezvous  of  the  regiments  newly  raised  in 
Ohio  and  Kentucky.  In  the  mean  time,  a  deputa- 
tion of  all  the  friendly  Indian  tribes  in  Ohio  waited 
on  him,  offering  their  services  in  the  approaching 
conflict  on  the  borders.  They  were  accepted  on  the 
conditions,  they  should  not  massacre  their  prisoners, 
or  wage  war  against  women  and  children. 

After  Harrison's  departure.  Proctor  again  ap- 
peared before  Fort  Meigs.  But  finding  it  well  gar- 
risoned, he  did  not  attempt  another  attack ;  but 
taking  five  hundred  regulars  and  a  horde  of  In- 
dians, seven  hundred  in  number,  suddenly  appeared 
before  Fort  Stephenson  in  Lower  Sandusky.  Major 
Croghan,  a  young  man  only  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  held  the  post,  with  but  a  hundred  and 
sixty  men.  He  had  only  one  cannon,  a  six  pounder, 
while  the  fortifications  having  been  hastily  con- 
structed, were  not  strong  enough  to  resist  artillery. 
Knowing  this,  and  the  smallness  of  Croghan's  force, 
Harrison  had  previously  ordered  him  to  destroy  the 
works,  and  retire  on  the  approach  of  the  enemy. 


Aug.  1. 


OROOUAN  8  DBFBNOE. 


201 


iiction 
of  the 
attack 
far  tlio 

Colonel 
pointed 
[lisod  in 
deputa- 
>  waited 
oaching 
d  on  the 
risoners, 

;ain   ap- 
?rell  gar- 
ick;  but 
e  of  In- 
ippeared 
Major 
ne  years 
ired  and 
pounder, 
tily  con- 
artillery, 
a's  force, 
stroy  the 
enemy. 


But  this  was  impossible,  for  Proctor  took  measures 
at  once  to  cut  off  his  retreat.  When  this  was  ac- 
complished, he  sent  a  flag  demanding  the  immediate 
surrender  of  the  place,  saying,  if  the  garrison  re- 
sisted, they  would  be  given  up  to  massacre.  This 
mere  stripling,  not  old  enough  to  be  frightened,  like 
Hull  and  Wilkinson,  coolly  replied,  that  when  he 
got  possession  of  the  fort,  there  would  be  none  left 
to  massacre.  Kiver  Eaisin  was  fresh  in  his  memory, 
and  lay  not  far  off;  but  neither  the  fear  of  In- 
dian barbarities,  nor  the  dark  array,  ten  times  his 
number,  closing  steadily  upon  him,  could  shake  his 
gallant  young  heart.  He  was  such  stuff  as  heroes 
are  made  of. 

This  was  on  Sunday  evening,  and  immediately 
after  receiving  the  bold  answer  of  Croghan,  Proc- 
tor opened  on  the  fort  from  his  gun  boats,  and  a 
howitzer  on  shore.  The  cannonading  was  kept  up  all 
night,  lighting  up  the  forest  scenery  with  its  fire,  and 
knocking  loudly  on  that  feeble  fort  for  admission. 
At  day  break,  Croghan  saw  that  the  enemy  had 
planted  three  sixes  within  two  hundred  and  fifty 
yards  of  the  fort.  Against  this  battery,  he  could 
reply  with  only  his  single  gun,  whose  lonely  report 
seemed  a  burlesque  on  the  whole  affair.  Finding 
that  Proctor  concentrated  his  fire  against  the  north- 
western angle,  he  strengthened  it  with  bags  of  flour 
and  sand.    The  firing  was  kept  up  till  late  in  the 


<!■■  :' 


1.1 


1 


\^fm 


202 


8E0OND  WAB  WITH  ENGLAND. 


riKi 


afternoon,  when  seeing  that  but  little  impression 
was  made  on  the  works,  Proctor  resolved  to  carry 
them  by  storm,  and  a  column,  iive  hundred  strong, 
was  sent  against  them.  With  undaunted  heart, 
young  Croghan  saw  it  approach,  while  his  little 
band,  proud  of  their  heroic  leader,  closed  firmly 
around  him,  swearing  to  stand  by  him  to  the  last. 
Some  time  previously,  a  ditch  six  feet  deep  and  nine 
feet  wide  had  been  dug  in  front  of  the  works, 
and  the  six  pounder,  loaded  \^ith  slugs  and  grape, 
was  now  placed,  so  as  to  rake  that  part  of  it  where 
it  was  conjectured  the  enemy  would  cross.  Colonel 
Short  commanded  the  storming  column,  which  he 
led  swiftly  forward  to  the  assault.  As  it  came 
within  range,  a  well  directed  volley  of  musketry 
staggered  it  for  a  moment,  but  Colonel  Short  rally- 
ing them,  leaped  first  into  the  ditch,  crying  out, 
"Give  the  d — d  Yankees  no  quarter."  In  a  mo- 
ment, the  ditch  was  red  with  scarlet  uniforms.  At 
that  instant,  the  six  pounder  was  fired.  A  wild 
shriek  followed,  and  when  the  smoke  cleared  away, 
that  section  of  the  column  which  had  entered 
the  ditch  lay  stretched  on  the  bottom,  with  their 
leader  among  them.  The  remainder  started  back 
aghast  at  such  sudden  and  swift  destruction,  but 
being  rallied  they  again  advanced,  only  to  be  swept 
away.  All  efforts  to  rally  them  the  third  time,  were 
fruitless ;  they  fled  first  to  the  woods,  and  then  to 


AMERICAN   mnfANITY. 


203 


their  boats,  and  next  morning  before  daybreak  dis- 
appeared altogether.  Tliis  garrison  of  striplings  had 
behaved  nobly,  and  notwithstanding  the  brutal  order 
of  the  British  commander  to  give  no  quarter,  exhib- 
ited that  humanity  without  which  bravery  is  not  a 
virtue.  Moved  with  pity  at  the  groans  and  prayers 
for  help  from  those  who  lay  wounded  in  the  ditch, 
they,  not  daring  to  expose  themselves  outside  in  pre- 
sence of  the  enemy,  handed  over  the  pickets  during 
the  night,  jugs,  and  pails  of  water  to  allay  the  fever  of 
thirst ;  and  made  a  hole  through  which  they  pulled 
with  kindly  tenderness  many  of  the  wounded,  and 
carried  them  to  the  surgeon.  These  men  knew  that, 
if  the  attack  had  proved  successful,  not  one  would 
have  been  left  to  tell  how  they  fought,  or  how  they 
fell,  yet  this  consciousness  did  not  deaden,  for  a  mo- 
ment, the  emotions  of  pity.  This  generosity  and 
kindness  have  always  characterized  the  American 
soldier,  from  the  commencement  of  our  national 
existence.  The  merciless  warfare  inflicted  by  Eng- 
land through  the  savages  during  the  revolution, 
could  not  make  him  forget  his  humanity ;  nor  the 
haughty,  insulting  conduct  of  English  officers  in  this 
second  war,  force  him  to  throw  aside  his  kind  and 
generous  feelings. 

This  attack  closed,  for  the  time,  the  efforts  of 
Proctor  to  get  possession  of  our  forts,  and  he  retired 
with  his  savage  allies  to  Detroit. 


ll 


204 


SECOND  WAB  WITH  ENGLAND. 


\l 


B^il: 


Our  whole  western  frontier  was  now  in  a  most 
deplorable  condition.  Instead  of  carrying  the  war 
into  the  enemy's  country,  we  had  been  unable  to 
protect  our  own  borders.  Notwithstanding  the  re- 
pulse at  Fort  Meigs,  the  savages  still  hung  around 
our  settlements,  making  frequent  and  successful 
dashes  upon  them ;  while  the  powerful  tribe  of  the 
Osages  lying  west  of  the  Mississippi,  threatened  to 
come  into  Tecumseh's  grand  scheme,  for  the  exter- 
mination of  the  whites.  Forts  Madison  and  Mason 
were  evacuated,  leaving  Fort  Howard,  only  forty 
miles  above  St.  Louis,  our  most  northern  post  on  the 
Mississippi. 


fif.i!: 


a  most 
the  war 
lable  to 
J  the  re- 
;  around 
iccessful 
e  of  the 
tened  to 
he  exter- 
d  Mason 
ily  forty 
»8t  on  the 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

CbkUDMy  ordered  to  Lake  Erie  to  bnild  •  fleet— A  plan  of  the  etmpalgn— Woolsef 
—Attack  on  York— Death  of  General  Plk»-Hit  character— Capture  of  Fort 
George— Gallantry  of  Scott— Bepolse  of  the  British  at  Sackett's  Harbor  bj  Gen- 
eral Brown— Dearborn  pursnea  Vincent— Night  attack  ou  the  American  encamp- 
ment—Generals Winder  and  Chandler  taken  prisoners— Retreat  of  the  army— 
Beinforoed  by  General  Lewis— Dearborn  at  Fort  George— Defeat  of  Colonel 
Boestler  at  Beaver  Dam*— Attack  on  Black  Rook— Dearborn  withdrawn  from 
the  oommand  of  the  northern  army. 

While  Harrison  was  pushing  forward  his  winter 
campaign,  Dearborn  remained  <]faietlj  in  winter 
quarters,  but  soon  as  he  saw  the  river  St.  Lawrence 
clear  of  ice,  he  prepared  to  renew  his  invasion  of 
Canada.  Armstrong  having  resigned  the  post  of 
minister  to  France,  was  appointed  Secretary  of  War 
in  place  of  Eustis.  Being  an  officer  of  distinction, 
it  was  thought  he  would  throw  more  energy  into  the 
war  department,  than  his  predecessor.  His  plan  of 
the  campaign  was  simple,  and  if  prosecuted  with 
energy,  promised  success.  Dearborn  was  to  concen- 
trate his  forces  at  the  mouth  of  the  Niagara  river, 
and  fall  successively  on  Kingston,  York,  and  Fort 
George,  thus  cutting  off  all  communication  between 
Montreal  and  Upper  Canada.    To  carry  this  out  suc- 


I  ' ' 


'    I! 

t 

i      i  ■ 


I 


1  * 


20A 


B£(X)ND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


ccssfully,  naval  superiority  on  the  lake,  for  the  safe 
transmiBsion  of  troops  and  ordnance,  was  indispen- 
sable.   From  the  coinmenceinent  of  the  war,  the  only 
vessel  of  any  pretension  which  the  United  States  had 
on  lake  Ontario  was  the  Oneida,  of  sixteen  guns, 
commanded  by  Lieutenant,  afterwards  Commodore 
Woolsey.    This  gallant  officer  managed  to  preserve 
his  ship,  notwithstanding  the  great  efforts  of  the 
enemy  to  get  possession  of  it,  beating  off,  in  one 
instance,    while    lying    in    Sackett^s   Harbor,  six 
British  armed  vessels.    At  this  time,  a  vast  forest 
fringed  the  southern  shore  of  Ontario.     With  the 
exception  of  here  and  there  a  clearing,  Sackett's 
Harbor  containing  some   half  a  dozen  miserable 
houses,  and  Oswego  not  much  larger,  were  the  only 
settlements   on   the   American  side,  while  strong 
forts  and  old  towns  lined  the  Canada  shore.    This 
large  body  of  water,  the  control  of  which  was  of 
such  vast  consequence  to  the  protection  of  New  York 
state,  could  be  reached  from  the  Hudson,  two  hun- 
dred miles  distant,  only  by  highways  nearly  impas- 
sable, except  in  midsummer  and  winter.    But,  what- 
ever difficulties  might  attend  the  attempt  to  build 
and  man  vessels  of  war  on  those  remote  waters,  it 
was  evident  that  until  it  was  made,  all  movements 
against  Canada  must  prove  abortive.     Captain  Isaac 
Chauncey  was,  therefore,  ordered  thither  the  sum- 
mer previous,  to  take  command,  and  build  and  equip 


OHA.t/irCKY'8  FLEKT. 


207 


Not.  Mi 


vessels.  He  arrived  in  f^ckett's  Harbor  in 
October,  witL  forty  curponters,  and  a  hundred 
officers  and  seamen.  To  control  the  lake  in  the 
mean  time,  he  purchased  and  armed  several  Ameri- 
can schooners.  With  these,  he  on  the  eighth  of 
November  set  sail,  and  soon  after  chased  the  Royal 
George  under  the  guns  of  the  fort  at  Kingston,  and 
there  maintained  a  spirited  contest  for  half  an 
hour.  After  various  skirmishes  with  the  enemy,  he 
at  length  returned  to  Sackett's  Harbor,  and  spent 
the  winter  in  building  vessels.  In  the  mean 
time,  the  Madison,  of  twenty-four  guns,  had 
been  completed  and  launched.  Nine  weeks  before, 
her  hull  and  spars  were  growing  in  the  forest.  By 
spring,  when  Dearborn  was  ready  to  commence 
operations,  Chauncey  had  a  snug  little  fleet  under 
his  command,  composed  of  the  Madison,  Oneida, 
and  eleven  armed  schooners. 

It  having  been  ascertained  that  three  British  ves- 
sels were  getting  ready  for  sea  at  York,  it  was  re- 
solved to  destroy  them.  The  original  plan,  therefore, 
of  commencing  the  campaign  by  an  attack  on  King- 
ston, was  by  the  recommendation  of  Chauncey 
changed,  and  the  former  place  designated  as  the 
first  point  of  attack. 

This  fleet  of  thirteen  sail  could  carry  but  1700 
men.  With  these  Chauncey,  at  length,  set  sail,  and 
on  the  twenty-fifth  of  April,  anchored  off  York. 


•t 


i  :„  K 


208 


SECOND  WAB  WITH  ENOLAIH). 


iC 


4?  • 


Sli  I 


Although  it  blew  a  gale  from  the  eastward,  the 
boats  were  hoisted  out,  and  the  lauding  of  the  troops 
under  General  Pike  was  commenced.  The  wind 
carried  the  boats  west  of  the  place  designated, 
which  was  an  open  field,  to  a  thickly  wooded  shore, 
filled  with  Indians  and  sharp  shooters.  Major 
Forsythe  with  a  corps  of  rifles,  in  two  batteaux, 
first  approached  the  shore.  Assailed  by  a  shower 
of  balls,  he  commanded  the  rowers  to  rest  on 
their  oars  and  return  the  fire.  General  Pike,  who 
was  standing  on  the  deck  of  his  vessel,  no  sooner 
saw  this  pause,  than  he  exclaimed  to  his  staff  with 
an  oath,  "  I  can^t  stand  here  any  longer ;  come, 
jump  into  the  boat."  Ordering  the  infantry  to  fol- 
low at  once,  he  leaped  into  a  boat,  and  with  his  staff 
was  quickly  rowed  into  the  hottest  of  the  fire. 
Moving  steadily  forward  amid  the  enemy's  balls,  he 
landed  a  little  distance  from  Forsythe.  The  advance 
boats  containing  the  infantry  reaching  the  shore  at 
the  same  time,  he  put  himself  at  the  head  of  the  first 
platoon  he  met,  and  ordered  the  whole  to  mount  the 
bank  and  charge.  Breasting  the  volleys  that  met 
them,  the  Americans  with  loud  cheers  scaled  the 
bank,  and  routed  the  enemy.  At  that  moment,  the 
sound  of  Forsythe's  bugles  was  heard  ringing  through 
the  forest.  This  completed  the  panic,  and  the  fright- 
ened savages,  with  a  loud  yell,  fied  in  all  directions. 
The  landing  of  the  remaining  troops,  under  cover  of 


CAPTURE  OF  YORK. 


209 


':is  ik 


the  well  directed  fire  of  Chauncey's  vessels,  was  suc- 
cessfully made.  Captains  Scott  and  Young  led  the 
van,  and  with  the  fifteenth  regiment,  under  command 
of  Major  King,  covered  themselves  with  honor. 
The  troops  were  then  formed  in  sections,  and  passing 
through  the  woods,  advanced  towards  the  fort.  The 
bridges  having  been  destroyed  over  the  streams  that 
intersected  the  road,  only  one  field  piece  and  a  how- 
itzer could  be  carried  forward  to  protect  the  head  of 
the  column,  which  at  length  came  under  the  fire  of  a 
battery  of  twenty-four  pounders.  Captain  Walworth, 
of  the  sixteenth,  was  ordered  to  advance  with  trailed 
bayonets  at  the  charge  step,  and  storm  this  battery. 
Moving  rapidly  across  the  intervening  space,  this 
gallant  company  approached  to  within  a  short  dis- 
tance of  the  guns,  when  at  the  word,  "recover 
charge,"  the  enemy  deserted  their  pieces  and  fled. 
The  column  then  continued  to  move  on  up  a  gentle 
ascent,  and  soon  silenced  the  remaining  battery,  and 
took  possession  of  the  works.  But  just  at  this  mo- 
ment, when  a  flag  of  surrender  was  momentarily 
expected,  a  magazine  containing  five  hundred  bar- 
rels of  powder,  exploded  with  terrific  violence. 
Huge  stones,  fragments  of  shivered  timber,  and 
blackened  corpses  were  hurled  heavenward  together, 
and  came  back  in  a  murderous  shower  on  the  victo- 
rious column.  Forty  of  the  enemy,  and  more  than 
two  hundred  Americans  were  killed  or  wounded  by 


;    1 


■|:f 


Ml 


ill! 


210 


SECOND  WAR  WITH   ENGLAND. 


:t 


Vt 


lii! 


'^ 


1 1 


the  explosion.    The  army  was  stunned  for  a  moment, 
but  the  band  striking  up  Yankee  Doodle,  the  rent 
column  closed  up  with  a  shout,  and  in  five  minutes 
was  ready  to  charge.    General  Pike  at  the  time  of 
the  explosion  was  sitting  on  the  stump  of  a  tree, 
whither  he  had  just  removed  a  wounded  British  sol- 
dier.    Crushed  by  the  falling  fragments,  he  together 
with  a  British  sergeant,  who  had  been  taken  pri- 
soner, and  Captain  Nicholson,  was  mortally  wounded. 
Turning  to  his  aid,  he  exclaimed,  "  I  am  mortally 
wounded."    As  the  surgeons  and  aid  were  bearing 
him  from  the  field,  he  heard  the  loud  huzzas  of  his 
troops.    Turning  to  one  of  his  sergeants,  he  with  an 
anxious  look  mutely  inquired  what  it  meant.    The 
officer  replied,  "  The  British  Union  Jack  is  coming 
down  and  the  stars  are  going  up.'''*    The  dying  hero 
heaved  a  sigh,  and  smile^I  even  amid  his  agony. 
He  was  carried  on  board  the  commodore's  ship,  and 
the  last  act  of  his  life  was  to  make  a  sign,  that  the 
British  flag  which  had  been  brought  to  him  should 
be  placed  under  his  head. 

Thus  fell  one  of  the  noblest  officers  in  the  army. 
Kind,  humane,  the  soul  of  honor  and  of  bravery,  he 
was  made  after  the  model  of  the  knights  of  old. 
His  father  had  fought  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution, 
and  though  too  old  to  serve,  was  still  an  officer  in 
the  army.  In  a  letter  to  his  father,  dated  the  day 
before  the  expedition,  he,  after  stating  its  character, 


moment, 
the  rent 
)  minutes 
e  time  of 
of  a  tree, 
Jritish  sol- 
e  together 
taken  pri- 
wounded. 
1  mortally 
re  bearing 
szas  of  his 
le  with  an 
3ant.    The 
I  is  coming 
ying  hero 
lis  agony, 
ship,  and 
that  the 
lim  should 

the  army. 

ravery,  he 

ts  of  old. 

devolution, 
officer  in 
jd  the  day 
character, 


f 

c 

f 

a 

tl 

P 

a1 
ai 
h( 
pi 
a 
SJ 
8e' 
su 
re 

go 
gh< 

of 
hu 

CXI 

tll« 

tre 
Su 


DKATH    OF  PIKE. 


211 


said :  "  Should  I  be  the  liappy  mortal  destined  to 
turn  the  scale  of  war — will  you  not  rejoice,  O,  my 
father?  May  heaven  be  propitious,  and  smile  on  the 
cause  of  my  country.  But  if  we  are  destined  to 
fall,  may  my  fall  be  like  Wolfe's — to  sleep  in  the 
arras  of  victory."  Ilis  prayer  was  answered,  and 
the  country  mourned  the  loss  of  a  gallant  officer,  a 
pure  patriot,  and  a  noble  man. 

Colonel  Pearce,  on  whom  the  command  devolved 
after  the  fall  of  Pike,  took  possession  of  the  barracks 
and  then  advanced  on  the  town.  As  he  approached 
he  was  met  by  the  officers  of  the  Canadian  militia, 
proposing  a  capitulation.  This  was  done  to  produce 
a  delay,  so  that  the  English  commander.  General 
Sheaffe,  lih.  the  regulars  could  escape,  and  the  ves- 
sels and  military  stores  be  destroyed.  The  plan  was 
successful,  the  regular  troops  made  good  their 
retreat,  one  magazine  of  naval  and  military  stores 
was  burned,  together  with  two  of  the  vessels  under- 
going repairs.  The  third  had  sailed  for  Kingston  a 
short  time  before  the  attack. 

Owing  to  the  explosion  of  the  magazine  the  loss 
of  the  Americans  was  severe,  amounting  to  three 
hundred  killed  and  wounded.  Notwithstanding  the 
exasperation  of  the  victors  at  the  wanton,  and  as 
they  supposed  premeditated  destruction  of  life,  they 
treated  the  inhabitants  with  kindness  and  courtesy. 
Such  had  been  the  strict  orders  of  their  commander 


IF  I 

m  I'l 


It 


t  t 


.1  ; 


ill: 

8* 


212 


SBOOND    WAR   WITH  ENGLAND. 


before  his  death.  Tlie  only  violence  committed  was 
the  burning  of  the  house  of  Parliament,  and  this 
was  owing,  doubtless,  to  the  fact  that  a  scalp  was 
found  suspended  over  the  speaker's  mace.  Tlie  siglit 
of  an  American  scalp,  hanging  as  a  trophy  in  a  pub- 
lic building,  would  naturaly  exasperate  soldiers, 
whose  friends  and  relatives  had  fallen  beneath  the 
knife  of  the  savage.* 

The  troops  were  at  once  re-embarked,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  proceeding  immediately  to  Niagara,  but  ow- 
ing to  foul  weather  they  were  a  week  on  the  way. 
At  length,  being  reinforced  by  troops  from  Sackett's 
Harbor  and  Buffalo,  Dearborn,  with  some  five  thou- 
sand men,  sailed  for  Fort  George.  This  fort  was  sit- 
uated on  a  peninsula,  which  it  commanded.  Dear- 
bom  resolved  to  make  the  landing  in  six  divisions 
of  boats,  under  cover  of  the  fire  of  the  armed 
schooners.  The  first  division,  containing  five  hun- 
dred men,  was  commanded  by  Winfield  Scott,  who 
volunteered  for  the  service,  followed  by  Colonel 
Porter  with  the  field  train.  The  gallant  Perry 
offered  to  superintend  the  landing  of  the  boats, 
which  had  to  be  effected  under  a  heavy  fire  and 
through  an  ugly  surf  The  27th  of  May,  early  in 
the  morning,  the  debarkation  begui'.  and  soon  the 


*  Major  Eustis,  Captains  Scott,  Walworth,  M'Glarpin,  Tonng 
and  Moore,  and  Lieutenants  Irvine,  Fanning  and  Biddle,  behaved 
with  great  gallantry  in  t^e  engagement. 


OAPTUBB  OF  FORT  OEOBOB. 


ai8 


boats,  in  separate  divisions,  were  moving  towards 
the  shore.  Fifteen  hundred  British  lined  the  bank, 
which  rose  eight  or  ten  feet  from  the  water.  Scott 
rapidly  forming  his  men  under  the  plunging  fire  of 
these,  shouted,  "  Forward ! "  and  began  to  scale  the 
ascent.  But,  pressed  by  greatly  superior  numbers, 
they  were  at  length  borne  struggling  back.  Dear- 
bom,  who  was  standing  on  the  deck  of  Chauncey's 
vessel,  watching  the  conflict  through  his  glass,  sud- 
denly saw  Scott,  while  waving  his  men  on,  fall 
heavily  back  down  the  steep.  Dropping  his  glass 
he  burst  into  tears,  exclaiming :  "  He  is  lost  / — He 
is  killed  !  "  The  next  moment,  however,  Scott  sprang 
to  his  feet  again,  and  shouting  to  his  men,  he  with  a 
rapid  and  determined  step  remounted  the  bank,  and, 
unscathed  by  the  volley  that  met  him,  knocked  up 
with  his  sword  the  bayonets  leveled  at  his  breast, 
and  stepped  on  the  top.  Crowding  furiously  after, 
the  little  band  sent  up  their  shout  around  him,  on 
the  summit.  Dressing  his  line  under  the  concen- 
trated fire  of  the  enemy,  Scott  then  gave  the  signal 
to  charge.  The  conflict  was  fierce  but  short ;  the 
British  line  was  rent  in  twain,  and  the  disordered 
ranks  were  driven  over  the  field.  Scott,  seizing  a 
prisoner's  horse,  mounted  and  led  the  pursuit. 

Fort  George  was  abandoned,  and  the  garrison 
streamed  after  the  defeated  army.  They,  however,  set 
fire  to  the  train  of  the  magazines  before  they  left.  This 


'  ^ 

I 


r  V 


214 


BBOOND  WAB  WITH  KNOLAITD. 


was  told  to  Scott,  and  he  instantly  returned  with  two 
companies  to  save  them.  Before  he  could  arrive, 
one  magazine  exploded,  sending  the  fragments  in 
every  direction.  A  piece  of  timber  struck  him  on 
the  breast,  and  hurled  him  from  his  horse.  Spring- 
ing to  his  feet  he  shouted,  *^  To  the  gate  1"  Kush- 
ing  on  the  gate,  they  tore  it  from  its  hinges  and 
poured  in — Scott  was  the  first  to  enter,  and  ordering 
the  brave  Captains  Hindman  and  Stockton  to  extin- 
guish the  matches,  he  ran  forward  and  pulled  down 
the  flag.  Quickly  re-mounting  his  horse  he  put  him- 
self at  the  head  of  his  column  and  pressed  fiercely 
after  the  enemy,  chasing  the  fugitives  for  five  miles, 
and  halted,  only  because  commanded  to  do  so 
by  Colonel  Boyd,  in  person.  He  had  already  diso- 
beyed two  orders  to  stop  the  pursuit,  and  had  he  not 
been  arrested  by  his  superior  officer  in  person,  would 
soon  have  been  up  with  the  main  body  of  the  British. 

The  loss  of  the  enemy  in  this  short  but  spirited 
combat  was  two  hundred  and  fifty  killed  and 
wounded  and  one  hundred  prisoners,  while  that  of 
the  Americans  was  only  seventy-two. 

The  British  army,  under  Gen.  Yincent,  retreated 
towards  Burlington  Heights,  followed  soon  after  by 
General  Winder,  with  eight  hundred  men. 

But  while  Chauncey  and  Dearborn  were  thus  de- 
stroying the  forts  on  the  Niagara,  Sir  George  Pro- 
vost made  a  sudden  descent  on  Sackett's  Harbor. 


▲TTAOK  ON  SAOKETT'S  HABBOB. 


r< 


with  two 
i  arrive, 
ments  in 
:  him  on 
Spring- 
"     Rush- 
Lnges  and 
1  ordering 
Q  to  extin- 
lUed  down 
e  put  him- 
ed  fiercely 
five  miles, 
to  do  so 
ready  diso- 
had  he  not 
r80ii,"Wonld 
the  British. 
lUt  spirited 
killed  and 
ale  that  of 


The  protection  of  this  place  was  of  vital  importance 
to  us.     Here  was  our  naval  depot — here  our  ship 
yard  with  vessels  on  the  stocks,  and  in  fact,  this  was 
the  only  available  port  on  the  lake  for  the  construc- 
tion and  rendezvous  of  a  fleet.     Yet  the  garrison 
left  to  protect  it  consisted  of  only  two  hundred  and 
fifty  dragoons  under  Lieutenant  Colonel  Backus, 
Lieutenant  Fanning's  artillery,  two  hundred  invalid 
soldiers  and  a  few  seamen,  making  in  all  some  five 
hundred  men.    Two  days  after  the  capture  of  Fort 
George,  the  fleet  of  Sir  James  Yeo,  carrying  a  thou- 
sand men,  commanded  by  Provost,  appeared  off  the 
harbor.     Alarm  guns  were  instantly  fired  and  mes- 
sengers dispatched  to  General  Brown,  who  resided 
eight  miles  distant  at  Brownville,  to  collect  the  mi- 
litia and  hasten  to  the  defence  of  the  place.    The 
year  before  Brown  had  joined  the  army  and  been 
appointed  brigadier-general  in  the  militia,  but  at 
the  close  of  the  campaign,  being  disgusted  with  its 
management  and  disgraceful  termination,  he  retired 
.  to  his  farm.    His  heart,  however,  was  in  the  strug- 
gle, and  the  courier  sent  from  Sackett's  Harbor  had 
scarcely  finished  his  message,  before  he  was  on  his 
horse  and  galloping  over  the  country.    Ballying  five 
or  six  hundred  militia  he  hastened  to  the  post  of 
danger.    He  was  one  of  those  whom  great  exigen- 
ces develop.    Brave,  prudent,  resolute,  and  rock  fast 
in  his  resolution,  he  was  admirably  fitted  for  a  mili- 


I  ir 


i 


n 


ti 


216 


8R0ONI)  WAU   WITH   ENGLAND. 


nmn 


4! 

II 


tary  loader,  while  by  his  daring  and  gallant  be- 
havior, he  acquired  great  influence  over  raw  troops. 
Acquainted  with  all  the  localities  and  resources  of 
the  place,  he  at  the  request  of  Lieutenant  Backus 
readily  assumed  the  command.  A  breastwork  was 
hastily  erected  on  the  only  spot  -where  a  landing 
could  be  effected,  and  the  miltia  placed  behind  it. 
The  regulars  formed  a  second  line  near  the  barracks 
and  public  buildings,  while  Fanning,  with  the  artil- 
lerists, held  the  fort  proper,  and  Lieutenant  Chaun- 
cey,  with  his  men,  defended  the  stores  at  Navy 
Point. 

The  night  of  the  28th  passed  in  gloomy  forebod- 
ings. The  troops  slept  on  their  arms,  and  Brown 
and  his  oflicers  passed  the  aomtb  in  silently  and 
cautiously  reconnoitering  the  shores  of  the  lake. 
That  little  hamlet  embosomed  in  the  vast  primeval 
forest  that  stretched  away  on  either  side  along  the 
water's  edge  and  closed  darkly  over  the  solitary 
highway  that  led  to  the  borders  of  civilization,  pre- 
sented a  lonely  aspect.  As  hour  after  hour  dragged 
heavily  by,  every  ear  was  bent  to  catch  the  muffled 
sound  of  the  enemy's  sweeps,  but  only  the  wind 
soughing  through  the  tree-tops  and  the  monotonoiw 
dash  of  waves  on  the  beach  disturbed  the  stillness 
of  the  scene.  But  as  the  long  looked  for  dawn 
began  to  streak  the  water,  the  fleet  of  British  boats 
were  observed  rapidly  pulling  towards  the  breast- 


DEFKNCK  f»F   BROWN. 


217 


nt  be- 
troops. 
rces  of 
Backus 
srk  was 
landing 
jhind  it. 
barracks 
the  artil- 
t  Chaun- 
at  Navy 

r  forebod- 
id  Brown 
mtly  and 
the  lake, 
primeval 
along  the 
,Q  solitary 
.tion,  pre- 
ir  dragged 
e  muffled 
the  wind 
tonotonoua 
.e  stillness 
for  dawn 
itish  boats 
[the  breast- 


work.   Brown  bade  the  militia  reserve  their  fire  till 
the  enemy  wore  within  pistol  shot,  and  then  deliver 
it  coolly  and  accurately.    They  did  bo,  and  the  first 
volley  checked  the  advance  of  the  boats.    After  the 
second  volley,  however,  the  militia  were  seized  with 
a  sudden  panic,  and  broke  and  fled.     Colonel  Mills, 
who  commanded  the   volunteers,  was  shot  while 
bravely  attempting  to  arrest  the  disorder.     Brown 
succeeded  in  stopping  some  ninety  of  them,  whom 
he  posted  on  a  line  with  the  regulars.    Tlie  British 
having  landed,  formed  in  good  order,  and  moved 
steadily  forward   on  this  little  band  of  regulars. 
The  latter  never  wavered,  but   maintained  their 
ground  with  stubborn  resolution,  and  as  they  were 
gradually  forced  back  by  superior  numbers,  took 
possession  of  the  barracks,  behind  which  they  main- 
tained a  rapid  and  galling  fire.    Backus  had  fallen, 
mortally  wounded,  and  Lieutenant  Fanning  was  also 
severely  wounded,  but  he  still  clung  to  his  gun  and 
directed  its  fire  with  wonderful  accuracy.     Finding 
the  troops  able  to  maintain  their  position  for  some 
time  yet.  Brown  exliorted  them  to  hold  firm  while 
he  endeavored  to  rally  the  fugitive  militia.    Riding 
up  to  them,  he  rebuked  and  entreate;!  them  by 
turns,  until,  at  last,  when  he  told  them  how  courage- 
ously and  nobly  the  strangers  were  defending  the 
homes  they  had  basely  abandoned  to  pillage,  they 
promised  to  return  and  do  their  duty.    Not  daring, 
10 


il 


i; 


218 


BEOOND  WAB  WITH  ENGLAND. 


however,  to  trust  men  in  an  open  attack  who  had 
just  fled  from  a  breastwork,  although  he  sol- 
emnly swore  he  would  cut  down  the  first  that 
faltered,  he  led  them  by  a  circuitous  route  along 
the  edge  of  the  forest,  as  if  he  designed  to  seize  the 
boats  and  cut  off  the  enemy's  retreat.  The  strata 
gem  succeeded,  and  the  British  made  a  rush  for 
their  boats,  leaving  their  killed  and  wounded 
behind.  Having  lost,  in  all,  between  four  and  five 
hundred  men,  they  dared  not  venture  on  a  second 
attack,  and  withdrew,  humbled  and  mortified,  to  the 
Canada  shore.  The  American  loss  was  about  one 
hundred. 

The  successful  defence  of  Sackett's  Harbor  follow- 
ing so  quickly  the  capture  of  Forts  York  and 
George,  promised  well  for  the  summer  campaign. 
But  disasters  soon  checked  the  rising  hopes  of  tlie 
nation.  General  "Winder,  who  had  started  in  pur- 
suit of  Vincent,  found,  on  his  arrival  at  Forty  Mile 
Creek,  that  the  enemy  had  been  reinforced.  Halt- 
ing here,  therefore,  he  dispatched  a  messenger  to 
Dearborn  for  more  troops.  General  Chandler,  with 
another  brigade,  was  sent,  when  the  whole  force  was 
put  in  motion,  and  crossing  Stony  Creek,  arrived  at 
night-fall,  within  a  short  distance  of  the  British 
encampment.  Here  the  army  halted,  preparatory  to 
an  attack  the  next  morning.  General  Vincent, 
although  greatly  inferior  in  numbers,  felt  that  his 


NIOHT   ATTACK. 


219 


who  had 

he  8ol- 
arst  that 
ate  along 
)  seize  the 
he  strata 
,  rush  for 

wounded 
r  and  five 

a  second 
led,  to  the 
about  one 

bor  follow- 
York  and 
campaign, 
[pes  of  the 
;ed  in  pur- 
'orty  Milo 
jed.    Ilalt- 
sssenger  to 
idler,  with 
force  was 
arrived  at 
[he  British 
►aratory  to 
Vincent, 
\\t  that  his 


future  success  depended  entirely  on  his  retaining 
his   present    position,   and,  therefore,  resolved  to 
hazard  a  second  battle.    But,  having,  by  a  careful 
reconnoissance,  discovered  tliat  the  American  camp 
guards  were  scattered  and  careless,  while  the  whole 
encampment  was  loose  and  straggling,  he  immedi- 
ately changed  his  plan,  and  determined  to  make  a 
bold  and  furious  night  onset,  and  endeavor  by  one 
well-directed  blow  to  break  the  American  army  in 
pieces.    Following  up  this  determination,  he,  with 
seven  hundred  men,  set  out  at  midnight,  and  arriv- 
ing at  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  at  the  American 
pickets  silently  and  adroitly  captured  every  man 
before  he  could  give  the  alarm.    Pressing  with  the 
main  column  directly  for  the  centre  of  the  encamp- 
ment, he  burst  with  the  appalling  war-cry  of  the 
savage  on  the  astonished  soldiers.    The  artillery 
was   surrounded,    and    several    pieces,    with    one 
hundred  men,  were  taken  prisoners,  and  among 
them    the  two  generals.  Winder    and    Chandler. 
General  Vincent  having  lost  his  column  in  the  dark- 
ness, the  second  in  command  ignorant  what  course 
to  pursue,  or  what  to  do,  concluded  to  retreat  with 
his  trophies.      The  attack  had  been  well  planned 
and  boldly  carried  out,  and  but  for  the  blunder 
liiade  by  Vincent  would  no  doubt  have  .been  com- 
pletely successful.     As  it  was  the  loss  was  nearly 
ec[ual;  so  that  the  American  army  was  still  in  a  good 


!'  f 


I 


%' 


'I    5 


I  i 


220 


BK(H>NI)   WAR   WITH    IflN(JI.ANl). 


itM 


coiulition  to  tuko  tlio  inlHiil  and  ikIviuico.     Uut  tlio 
coiMiniuul  dovolvin^  on   (\>lonol    HiiniH,  ii  ciivulry 
v>llU'or,  wlio  ilocIure«l  ho  wjih  iuc<mi[)otoiit  to  diivct 
ii»funtry  inovoniontH,  u  rotroat.  was  roHolvod  ii[)on. 
Tho  army  arriving  at  Forty  Milo  Orcok,  a  numHoii^or 
was   dcHpatcliod    to   lJiMU'bt)rn,   awkin^    for  ordorn. 
General  Lewis,  with  tho  mxtli  regiment,  was  inniio- 
diatoly  sent  forward,  witli  directions  to  engage  tho 
enemy  at  once.     An  hour  after  his  arrival  at  crtnij) 
tho  British  fleet  was  seen  slowly  beating  up  al)rca8t 
of  it.    A  schooner  was  towed  near  the  shore  and 
opened  its  tiro,  but  Lieutenant  Ehlridge,  heaving  n 
few  hot  shot  into  her,  compelled  her  to  witiidraw. 
In  the  mean  time,  some  vessels  appearing  off  Fort 
Goorge,  Dearborn  conjectured  that  an  attack  upon 
him  was  meditated,  and  recalled  this  division  of  tho 
army.    Tho  boats,  however,  sent  to  bring  thoin, 
were  overtaken  by  an  armed  schooner,  and  many  of 
them  captured. 

After  these  catastrophes  Dearborn  remained. at 
Fort  George  an  entire  fortnight,  wholly  inactive. 
Tho  British,  on  the  other  hand,  made  diligent  use  of 
this  interval,  in  taking  possession  of  mountftiii 
passes,  and  thus  accomplished  the  double  purpose  of 
securing  their  own  position  and  narrowing  tho 
limits  of  Dearborn's  possessions,  and  destroying  his 
communication.  The  latter,  at  length,  being  arousod 
to  the  danger  in  which  these  posts  placed  liim, 


BURnKNDKtl  Ofr   BOKSTf.KR. 


221 


! 


(loH]>ntio1io»l  dol.  IJorHtlor,  with  nix  liundrocl  inoii,  to 
ln'cMik  lip  oii«  «>r  tlidiri,  HovcutiHiii  mlloH  dlHinnt. 
Actin/^  nn(Nir  wron;^  inlornmlloii,  tliiH  HrruiU  dtitudi- 
inciit  nrrivcMl  wiMioiil  inoIoHtution  at  l»(!HVonlfiiri«, 
within  two  niihiH  of  tho  "  Stono  Houho"  whoro  tho 
oiuMTiy  hftd  tortitiod  thoiriHolveH.  But  liore  thoy 
W(5r«  suddonly  surronrnlcd  by  a  body  of  HriliHli  iin<l 
Indians,  and  n  conflict  ensued.  Believing  it  inipos- 
flihlo  to  effect  a  safe  retreat  throngli  tho  forewt, 
j)rr!fl8od  by  mich  a  force,  Colonel  BocHtler  surren- 
dered his  wliole  <lotachinent  prisoners  of  war.  Hi  is 
ended  Dearborn's  campaign,  and  his  military  ser- 
vices. Colonel  Bishop,  who  showed  great  activity 
in  carrying  out  the  plan  of  the  British  commander, 
finding  Fort  Erie  ungarrisoned,  took  poHsession  of 
it,  and  crossing  suddenly  to  Black  Kock,  witli  260 
men,  drove  out  the  militia  and  destroyed  the  guns 
and  stores.  But  the  news  reaching  Buffalo,  a  few 
regulars,  together  with  some  militia  and  friendly 
Indians  hastened  to  the  fort  and  expelled  the  inva- 
ders, killing  their  commander. 

The  successful  attacks  on  York  and  Fort  George 
had  removed  much  of  the  odium  with  which  the 
disasters  of  the  previous  years  had  covered  Dearborn, 
and  groat  results  were  expected  from  so  brilliant  an 
opening  of  the  campaign.  But  his  after  inaction 
and  efforts  ending  only  in  failure,  disgusted  the 
people  and  Congress.    Broken  down  by  disease  and 


i||l:!li 


222 


SECOND  WAB  ■^^OTH  ENGLAND. 


demoralized  by  their  long  camp  life,  the  soldiers  but 
poorly  represented  the  vigor  and  energy  of  the  republic. 
Dearborn,  like  the  other  generals,  received  all  the 
blame  that  properly  attached  to  him,  together  with 
that  which  belonged  to  the  Government,  and  when 
the  news  of  Boestler's  defeat  arrived  in  Washington, 
the  House  of  Eepresentatives  was  thrown  into  a  state 
of  indignant  excitement.     Mr.  IngersoU  was  deputed 
to  wait  on  the  President  and   demand   Dearborn's 
removal,  as  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  Western  army. 
The  request  was  granted,  and  on  the  15th  of  July  he 
resigned  his  command.    He  had  accomplished,  lite^ 
rally  nothing,  in  two  campaigns,  and  though  he  was 
surrounded  with  difficulties,  crippled,  and  rendered 
cautious  by  the  indifferent  and  unsuitable  troops  under 
his  command,  yet,  after  making  a  large  allowance 
for  all,  there  is  margin  wide  enough  to  secure  his 
condemnation.    His  materials  became  worse  instead 
of  better  under  his  management,  and  the  prospects 
on  our  northern  border  grew  gloomier  the  longer  he 
held    command.     The    energy    and   vigor   of  his 
younger  days  were  gone,  and  the  enfeebled  com- 
mander of  1812  was  a  very  different  man  from  the 
daring  and  gallant  officer  of  the  Revolution.    He 
had  stood  on  the  deck  of  his  vessel  and  seen  Pike 
carry  York,  and  young  Scott  Fort  George  with  mere 
detachments.    He  had  witnessed  the  bravery  of  his 
troops  under  gallant  officers,  and  it  needed  only 


LAKE  OHAMPLAIN. 


223 


energy  and  activity  in  himself  to  have  made  the  army 
the  pride  of  the  nation. 

Colonel  Boyd  assumed  the  command  till  the  arrival 
of  Wilkinson  in  September,  but  with  the  ex- 
ception of  some  skirmishing,  the  summer 
passed  away  in  inactivity. 

The  British,  by  capturing  two  American  sloops 
that  ventured  into  a  narrow  part  of  the  lake,  near  the 
garrison  of  Aux  Noix,  obtained  command  of  this 
water  communication,  which  they  held  the  remainder 
of  the  season. 


4 


h 


CHAPTEE  IX. 

SECOND  SESSION  OF  THE  TWELFTH  CONGEE88. 

Army  bill— Qulncy  and  Williams— Debato  on  the  bonds  of  merchants  given  for 
British  goods  imported  in  contravention  of  the  non-importation  act— Debate  on 
the  bills  increasing  the  army  to  55,000  men — ^Williams'  report — Quincy's  attack- 
Clay's  rejoinder— Bandolph,  Calhonn,  Quincy,  Lowndes  and  Clay— State  of  the 
Treasury. 

The  members  of  Congress,  when  they  assembled 
in  October,  did  not  exchange  those  congratulations 
they  promised  each  other  at  their  adjournment,  after 
declaring  war.  Every  plan  had  proved  abortive, 
every  expectation  been  disappointed.  Trne,  the 
gallant  little  navy  was  left  to  fall  back  on.  Its  suc- 
cesses, however,  did  not  reflect  much  credit  on  their 
sagacity,  but  rather  by  returning  good  for  evil,  had 
administered  a  severe  rebuke  to  their  neglect.  The 
Federalists  could  claim  the  chief  honor  there,  and 
make  both  the  victories  on  the  sea  and  defeats  on 
land  the  grounds  of  attack.  They  had  always  said 
leave  Canada  alone  and  go  to  the  sea,  there  is  the 
proper  theatre  for  your  exploits.  Results  had  shown 
the  wisdom  of  their  counsels.  The  army  had  accom- 
plished  nothing,  still   its  skeleton   ranks  must  bo 


INCREASE  OP  THE   ARMY. 


225 


XE8S. 

hants  given  for 
iioi— Debate  on 
ilncy's  attack— 
p— State  of  the 

assembled 
ratulations 
lent,  after 
abortive, 
L'rne,   the 

Its  8UC- 

bt  on  their 
evil,  had 

[ect.    The 

[here,  and 
[efeats  on 

[ways  said 

ire  is  the 

lad  shown 

id  accom- 

must  bo 


filled.    A  bill  was  therefore  introduced,  increasing 
the  pay  of  the  soldiers  from  six  to  eight  dollars  per 
month,  and  making  their  persons  secure  from  arrest 
for  debt,  in  order  to  tempt  recruits  into  the  service. 
They  were  allowed  also  to  enlist  either  for  five  years 
or  for  the  war.     A  clause  inserted  in  this  bill,  giving 
minors  and  apprentices,  over  eighteen,  permis- 
sion to  enlist  without  the   consent  of  their 
parents  and  masters,  fell  like  a  bomb-shell  in  the 
House.    This  was  striking  at  the  very  foundation  of 
social  and  domestic  life — viz.,  parental  authority — and 
putting  a  premium  on  disobedience  and  rebellion. 
It  furnished  a  new  outlet  for  Mr.  Quincy's  wrath, 
who  declared  that  if  Congress  dared  apply  it  in  New 
England  the  people  would  resist  it,  with  the  laws 
against  kidnapping  and  stealing.     He  said  it  was 
odious  and  atrocious,  unequalled,  absurd,   and  im- 
moral.    Mr.  Williams   replied,  that  Great  Britain 
allowed  enlistments  over  sixteen,  as  did  our  Govern- 
ment in  the  Revolutionary  War — nay,  that  this  very 
clause  passed  in  1798,  which  became  a  law.    Another 
exciting  debate  sprung  up    relative  to  the 
bonds  of   the  merchants  for  British    goods 
lately  imported  in  contravention  of  the  non-importa- 
tion law.    This  law,  it  will  be  remembered,  was 
passed  in  March,  1811,  in  retaliation  for  the  orders  in 
council,  and  was  to  cease  with  the  revocation  of  those 

orders.     Before  the  news  of  the  declaration  of  war 
10* 


51^  ■» 


i  ■ 


226 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


P-- 


arrived  in  England  they  were  revoked,  and  American 
owners  supposing  the  non-iraportation  act  would  fall 
with  it,  immediately  took  in  cargoes  of  British  goods. 
These  were  allowed  to  depart,  as  well  as  others  in 
process  of  landing,  and  provided  with  licenses  to  pro 
tect  them  against  British  cruisers.  Thus  a  vast 
amount  of  merchandise  arrived  in  the  various  ports 
of  the  United  States  during  the  first  two  or  three 
months  of  the  war.  The  non-importation  act  being 
still  in  force,  these  goods  were  seized  as  forfeited  to 
the  Government.  Still  many  of  the  district  judges 
surrendered  them  to  the  claimants  on  their  giving 
bonds  to  the  amount  of  their  value.  As  under  the 
non-importation  law  half  the  value  of  the  forfeited 
goods  belonged  to  the  informer,  Gallatin  proposed 
that,  as  in  this  case  there  was  no  informer,  that  por- 
tion should  be  given  to  the  owners,  and  the  Govern- 
ment put  the  other  half,  amounting  to  nine  millions, 
in  the  public  treasury.  This  proposal  was  advocated 
by  some  and  strenuously  opposed  by  others.  After  a 
vehement  debate,  extending  through  several 

Dee.  30.  '  °  ° 

sittings,  all   the  penalties  of  the  merchants 
were  finally  remitted. 

Another  debate,  still  more  exciting,  followed  on 
the  army  bill.  This  bill  contained  provisions  for 
raising  twenty  thousand  men  for  one  year,  increased 
bounty  enlistments  to  sixteen  dollars,  and  appointed 
an  officer  to  do  all  the  recruiting.    Mr.  Williams, 


ARMY  BILL. 


227 


^  chairman  of  the  committee  on  military  affairs, 

Dee.  aT.  *'  ' 

introduced  it  with  an  able   speech.     After 
showing  that  the  country  demanded  such  an  augmen- 
tation of  the  army,  making  the  entire  regular  force 
55,000,  and   defending  the  increased   bounty   and 
appointment  of  a  special  officer  for  the  recruiting 
service,  he  alluded  to  the  disastrous  issue  of  Hull's 
campaign.    Said  he,  "  there  are  those,  perhaps,  who 
can  sneer  at  the  disasters. and  misfortunes  of  the  late 
campaign,  and  will  object  to  this  bill,  saying  there  ia 
no  encouragement  to  vote  additional  forces,  seeing 
that  those  which  have  been  already  raised  hsfve  been 
80  idly  employed.    It  becomes  us  all  to  be  equally 
faithful  to  our  country,  whether  victorious  or  not ;  it 
is  in  times  of  discomfiture  that  the  patriot's  resolution 
and  virtues  are  most  needed.    It  is  no  matter  by 
what  party  names  we  are  distinguished,  this  is  our 
country — we  are  children  of  the  same  family,  and 
ought  to  be  brothers  in  a  common  cause.    The  mis- 
fortune which  befalls  one  portion  should  sink  deep 
into  the  breasts  of  the  others  also." 
Mr.  Clay  congratulated  the  committee  and  the  na- 
tion on  the  report  that  had  been  made.   Mr. 
Quincy,  who  saw  in  every  proposition  for 
replenishing  the  army,  a  project  for  conquering  Can- 
ada, opposed  the  bill.     Assuming  that  to  be  the  ob- 
ject in  view,  he  assailed  it  with  all  that  sarcasm  and 
abuse  for  which  he  was  distinguished.    In  the  first 


Jan.5,1813i 


228 


SECOND   WAK  WITH   ENGLAND. 


^f 


place,  he  said,  we  could  not  conquer  Canada ;  in  tho 
second  place,  if  we  could,  it  would  be  a  barren  tri- 
umph. It  would  not  bring  peace  nor  be  of  any  ad- 
vantage to  the  country.  He  denounced  it  as  cruel 
and  barbarous,  declaring  it  was  not  owing  to  the 
Government,  that  at  that  moment  the  bones  of  the 
Canadians  were  not  mixed  with  the  ashes  of  their 
habitations.  Said  he,  "  Since  the  invasion  of  tho 
buccaneers,  there  is  nothing  like  this  war.  We  have 
heard  great  lamentations  about  the  disgrace  of  our 
arms  on  the  frontier.  Why,  sir,  the  disgrace  of  our 
arms  on  the  frontier  is  terrestrial  glory  in  compari- 
son with  the  disgrace  of  the  attempt !  Tlie  whole 
atmosphere  rings  with  the  utterance,  from  the  other 
side  of  the  house,  of  this  word,  glory  !  glory  !  "What 
glory?  Tlie  glory  of  the  tiger  which  lifts  its  jaws 
all  foul  and  bloody  from  the  bowels  of  his  victim, 
and  roars  for  his  companions  of  the  forest  to  come  and 
witness  his  prowess  and  his  spoils — the  glory  of  Zeng- 
his  Khan,  without  his  greatness — the  glory  of  Bona- 
parte." He  asked  the  members  if  they  supposed  the 
vagabonds  who  should  conquer  Canada  would,  when 
their  aim  was  accomplished,  heed  the  orders  of 
Government.  No!  they  would  obey  the  "choice 
spirits"  placed  over  them,  who  in  turn  would  not 
consult  spinsters  and  weavers,  but  take  counsel  from 
their  leader  what  next  they  shall  do.  "  Kemember," 
said  he,  "  remember,  I  warn  you,  he  who  plants  the 


quincy's  speech. 


221) 


American  standard  on  the  walls  of  Quebec,  plants 
it  for  himself,  and  will  parcel  it  out  into  dukedoms, 
and  seignorities,  and  counties  for  his  followers."    It 
was  a  solace  to  him  amid  all  his  regrets,  that  New 
England  was  guiltless  of  this  war,  and  that  she  had 
done  her  utmost  to  hurl  the  wicked  authors  of  it 
from  their  seats.    That  way  of  thinking,  he  said, 
was  not  peculiar  to  him,  but  was  "  the  opinion  of  all 
the  moral  sense  and  nine-tenths  of  the  intelligence 
of  the   section   from   which  he    came.    Some    of 
those  who  are  here  from  that  quarter — some  of  the 
Jumsehold  troops  who, lounge  for  what  they  can  pick 
up  about  the  Government-house  will  say  differently — 
those  who  come  here  and  with  their  families  live 
and  suck  upon  the  heart  of  the  treasury — toad-eaters 
who  live  on  elemosynary,  ill-purchased  courtesy  of 
the  palace,  swallow  great  men's  spittles,  get  judg- 
ships,  and  wonder  at  the  fine  sights,  fine  rooms,  fine 
company,  and  most  of  all  wonder  how  they  them- 
selves got  here — these  creatures  will  tell  you,  No — 
that  such  as  I  describe  are  not  the  sentiments  of  the 
people   of  New  England.      Sir,  I  have  conversed 
upon  the  question  with  men  of  all  ranks,  conditions 
and  parties  in  Massachusetts,  men  hanging  over  the 
plough  and  holding  the  spade — ^the  twenty,  thirty 
and  fifty  acre  men,  and  their  answers  have  uniformly 
been  to  the  same  effect.    They  have  asked  simply, 
Wliat  is  the  invasion  for  ?    Is  it  for  land  ?    We  have 


it 


I 


230 


SECOND   WAR  WITH   ENGLAND. 


■I 

It 


enough.  Is  it  for  plunder  ?  Tlicre  is  none  there. 
New  States  ?  Wo  have  more  than  is  good  for  us. 
Territory  ?  If  territory,  there  must  be  a  standing 
army  to  keep  it,  and  there  must  be  another  standing 
army  here  to  watch  that.  These  are  judicious, 
honest,  patriotic,  sober  men,  who  when  their  coun- 
try calls,  at  any  wise  or  real  exigency,  will  start 
from  their  native  soils  and  throw  their  shields  over 
their  liberties,  like  the  soldiers  of  Cadmus,  yet  who 
have  heard  the  winding  of  your  horn  for  the  Cana- 
dian campaign,  with  the  same  indifference  they 
would  have  liptened  to  a  jewsharp  or  the  twanging  of 
a  banjo.  He  declared  that  Mr.  Madison  and  his 
cabinet  had  been  bent  on  war  from  the  outset, 
and  their  eagerness  to  come  to  blows  with  England 
evinced  the  disposition  ascribed  to  the  giant  in  the 
children's  old  play : — 

*  Fe,  faw,  fum, 
I  smell  the  blood  of  an  Englishman, 
Be  he  dead  or  be  he  alive 
I  will  have  some.' 

He  knew  there  were  those  who  were  ready  to  open  on 
him  with  the  old  stale  cry  of  British  connection.  It 
was  not  egotism  to  speak  of  what  belonged  to  his 
country.  It  would  ill  become  a  man  whose  family 
had  been  two  centuries  settled  in  the  State,  and  whose 
interest  and  connections  were  exclusively  Ameri- 


CLAY  8   SPEECH. 


231 


there, 
for  U8. 
anding 
anding 
licious, 
r  coun- 
11  Btart 
ds  over 
jret  who 
lb  Cana- 
ce  they 
ngingof 
and  his 
)  outset, 
England 


can,  to  shrink  from  his  duty  for  the  yelpings  of 
those  bloodhound  mongrels  who  were  kept  in  pay 
to  hunt  down  all  who  opposed  the  court — a  pack  of 
mangy  hounds,  of  recent  importation,  their  backs 
still  sore  with  the  stripes  of  European  castigation,  and 
their  necks  marked  with  the  check  collar."  Fierce, 
and  vehement,  now  rising  into  eloquence,  and  now 
descending  to  the  coarse  language  of  the  bar-room, 
Mr.  Quincy  dealt  his  blows  on  every  side — atone  mo- 
ment coming  down  on  the  administration  with 
sweeping  charges  of  dishonesty  and  villany,  and 
again  rushing  fiercely  on  the  solid  phalanx  of  the 
war  party,  assailing  them  with  scoffs  and  jeers  and 
taunts,  till  scorn  and  rage  gathered  on  their  counte- 
nances. 

Mr.  Clay,  in  his  urbane  and  gentle  manner,  rose 
to  reply.  He  took  a  review  of  the  two  parties. 
While  the  administration  was  endeavoring  to  pre- 
vent war  by  negotiations  and  restrictive  measures, 
the  opposition,  he  said,  was  disgusted  with  the  timor- 
ous policy  pursued,  and  called  for  open,  manly  war. 
They  declared  the  administration  "  could  not  be 
kicked  into  a  war."  "  War  and  no  restrictions,  is 
their  motto,  when  an  embargo  is  laid,  but  the 
moment  war  is  declared,  the  cry  is  restrictions  but 
no  war.  They  tack  with  every  gale,  displaying  the 
colors  of  every  party  and  of  all  nat'ons,  steady  in 
only  one  unalterable  purpose,  to  steer,  if  possible, 


11 

rr 


lit 


232 


BECOND  WAR  Wmi  ENGLAND. 


mw- 


into  tlio  haven  of  power.  Tlio  charge  of  French 
influence  had  again  and  again  been  made,  which 
ehould  he  met  in  only  one  manner — by  giving  ittlio 
lie  direct.  Tlie  opposition  had  also  amused  theni- 
Bclves  by  heaping  every  vile  epithet  which  the 
English  language  afforded  on  Bonaparte.  He  had 
been  compared  to  every  monster  and  beast,  from 
that  of  the  Revelations  to  the  most  insignificant 
quadruped.  He  said  it  reminded  him  of  an  obscure 
lady  who  took  it  into  her  head  to  converse  on 
European  affairs  with  an  accomplished  French 
gentleman,  and  railed  on  Napoleon,  calling  him  tlio 
curse  of  mankind,  a  murderer  and  monster.  Tlie 
Frenchman  listened  to  her  with  patience  to  the  cn:l, 
and  then,  in  the  most  affable  manner,  replied, 
*  Madame,  it  would  give  my  master,  the  Emperor, 
infinite  pain  if  he  knew  how  hardly  you  thought  of 
him.'  Expressing  his  regret  that  he  was  compelled 
to  take  some  notice  of  Mr.  Quincy  in  his  remarks, 
he  defended  Jefferson  against  his  attacks,  and  showed 
how  absurd  were  all  his  statements  and  scniples  re- 
specting the  invasion  of  Canada,  by  referring  to  the 
part  New  England  took  in  the  capture  of  Louisbnrg. 
He  then  alluded  to  the  treasonable  attitude  assumed 
by  the  Federalists,  denounced  their  hypocrisy  in 
endeavoring  to  gain  the  adhesion  of  the  people  to 
their  views  by  promising  peace  and  commerce. 
But,  said  Mr.  Clay,  I  will  quit  this  unpleasant  sub- 


OLAY  8    SI'KEOK. 


233 


French 

which 

g  it  tho 

I  thciu- 

ch   tho 

He  had 

it,  from 

;niiicant 

obscure 

erse   on 
French 

him  tho 

er.    Tho 

the  c^»'l, 
replied, 
mperor, 

ought  of 
ipellcd 
emarks, 
showed 
•uples  re- 
ng  to  the 
ouisbnrg. 
assumed 
ocrisy  in 
people  to 
9mmerce. 
sant  suh- 


on 


Ject,  I  will  turn  from  one  whom  no  sonso  of 
doconcy  or  propriety  couhl  restrain  from  soiling  the 
carpet  on  which  he  treads,  to  gentlemen  who  have 
not  forgotten  what  is  due  to  themselves,  tlic  place  in 
which  we  are  assembled,  nor  to  those  by  whom  they 
are  opposed."  lie  then  went  into  a  review  of  the 
causes  that  led  to  the  war,  to  show  that  tho  govern- 
ment had  acted  with  forbearance  and  moderation, 
and  at  length  took  up  the  subject  of  impressment. 
After  proving  the  illegality  and  oppression  of  this 
right,  as  claimed  and  exercised  by  the  English,  ho 
said,  "  there  is  ntf  safety  to  us  but  in  the  rule  that  all 
who  sail  under  the  flag  (not  being  enemies)  are  pro- 
tected by  the  flag.  It  is  impossible  the  country 
should  ever  forget  the  gallant  tars  who  have  won 
for  us  such  splendid  trophies.  Let  me  suppose  that 
the  genius  of  Columbia  should  visit  one  of  them  in 
his  oppressor's  prison,  and  attempt  to  reconcile  him 
to  his  wretched  condition.  She  would  say  to  him  in 
the  language  of  the  gentlemen  on  the  other  side, 
'  Great  Britain  intends  you  no  harm ;  she  did  not 
mean  to  impress  you,  but  one  of  her  own  subjects, 
having  taken  you  by  mistake ;  I  will  remonstrate 
and  try  to  prevail  on  her,  by  peaceable  means,  to 
release  you,  but  I  cannot,  my  son,  fight  for  you.' 
If  he  did  not  consider  this  mockery  he  would 
address  her  judgment  and  say,  '  You  owe  me  my 
country's  protection ;  I  owe  you  in  return,  obedi- 


I        i  T 


I  li^l' 1 


II'-:  -f 


Hi 


234 


SECOND  WAR   WITH  ENGLAND. 


ence ;  I  am  no  British  subject,  I  am  a  native  of  old 
Massachusetts,  where  live  my  aged  father,  my  wife, 
my  children ;  I  have  faithfully  discharged  my  duty, 
will  you  refuse  to  do  yours?'  Appealing  to  her 
passions,  he  would  continue,  *I  lost  this  eye  in  fight- 
ing under  Truxton  with  the  Insurgente ;  I  got  this 
scar  before  Tripoli ;  I  broke  this  leg  on  board  the 
Constitution  when  the  Guarriere  struck.'  If  she 
remained  still  unmoved  he  would  break  out  in  the 
accents  of  mingled  distress  and  despair, 

'  Hard,  hard  is  my  fate  I  once  I  freedom  enjoyed, 
Was  as  happy  as  happy  could  be  I 
Oh !  how  hard  is  my  fate,  how  galling  these  chains !' 

I  will  not  imagine  the  dreadful  catastrophe  to  which 
he  would  be  driven  by  an  abandonment  of  him  to 
his  oppressor.  It  will  not  be,  it  cannot  be,  that  his 
country  will  refuse  him  protection."  This  descrip- 
tion of  a  poor  sailor,  maimed  in  his  country's 
service,  appealing  to  that  country  he  had  served  so 
well,  for  protection,  and  rejected,  cast  off,  abandon- 
ing himself  to  despair,  sketched  as  it  was  with  vivid- 
ness and  feeling,  and  uttered  in  that  touching  pathos 
for  which  Clay's  rich  and  flexible  voice  was  remark- 
able, went  home  with  thrilling  power  to  each  patriotic 
heart,  and  tears  were  seen  on  the  faces  of  members 
in  every  part  of  the  house. 


CLAY  8  SrEECH. 


235 


After  reviewing  the  progress  of  the  war,  and  the 
present  attitude  of   England,  and  declaring  that 
propositions  for  peace  offered  by  the  other  party 
were  futile,  he  drew  himself  to  his  full  height,  and 
casting  his  eye  around  the  house,  and  pitching  his 
voice  to  the  note  of  lofty  determination,  closed  with, 
"  An  honorable  peace  can  be  attained  only  by  an 
efficient  war.     My  plan  would  be  to  call  out  the 
ample  resources  of  the  country,  give  them  a  judi- 
cious direction,  prosecute  the  war  with  the  utmost 
vigor,  strike  wherever  we  can  reach  the  enemy  at 
sea  or  on  land,  and  negotiate  the  terms  of  peace  at 
Quebec  or  Halifax.    "We  are  told  that  England  is  a 
proud  and  lofty  nation,  that,  disdaining  to  wait  for 
danger  meets  it  half  way.    Haughty  as  she  is,  we 
once  triumphed  over  her,  and  if  we  do  not  listen  to 
the  counsels  of  timidity  and  despair,  we  shall  again 
prevail.    In  such  a  cause,  with  the  aid  of  Provi- 
dence, we  must  come  out  crowned  with  success, 
"  hut  if  we  fail,  let  us  fail  like  men,  lash  ov/rselves  to 
our  gallant  tars,  and  expire  together  in  one  common 
struggle,  fighting  for  *  SeamarCs  rights  and  Free 
trade.''  "    Before  this  patriotic  burst  of  eloquence 
the  harsh  and  irritating  charges  and  selfish  objec- 
tions   of    the    opposition    disappeared,    like    the 
unhealthy  vapors  of  a  morass  before  the  fresh  breath 
of  the  cool  west  wind. 

The  declaration  of  war  consummated  a  revolution 


|i! 


236 


SECOND  WAB  WITH  ENGLAND. 


begun  long  before  in  Congress.  The  affairs  of  the 
nation  were  taken  out  of  the  hands  of  old  and  expe- 
rienced statesmen,  and  placed  in  those  of  young  and 
ardent  men.  Henry  Clay  was  but  thirty-five ;  Cal- 
houn, thirty,  and  Randolph  thirty-nine.  Many  of 
less  note  were  also  young  men,  full  of  hope  and  con- 
fidence, and  jealous  of  their  country's  honor.  In 
their  first  conflict  with  the  older  and  more  conserva- 
tive members,  they  revealed  the  dawning  genius  and 
statesmanship  that  afterwards  raised  them  to  such 
high  renown.  The  Federalists  were  represented  also 
by  men  of  great  strength  of  intellect  and  forcible 
speakers.  Quincy  possessed  the  elements  of  a  power- 
ful leader,  but  he  at  times  allowed  his  passions  to 
over-ride  all  propriety  and  suggestions  of  prudence. 
Vehement  and  fearless,  he  moved  down  on  the 
enemy  in  gallant  style,  but,  like  Jackson  in  battle, 
his  hostility  for  the  time  lost  all  magnanimity,  and 
assumed  the  character  of  ferocity.  He  made  the 
whole  party  opposed  to  him  a  person,  and  attacked 
it  with  all  the  malignity,  scorn,  invective,  and  jeers 
he  would  one  who  had  grossly  abused  his  person  and 
assailed  his  honor.  But  there  was  no  secresy  or 
trickery  in  his  movements — his  followers  and  his  foes 
knew  where  to  find  him,  and  though  he  often,  in  his 
intemperance,  violated  the  rules  of  courtesy,  and  thus 
exposed  himself  to  retorts  that  always  tell  against  a 
speaker,  he  still  was  an  ugly  opponent  to  contend 


QUINCY   AND   RANDOLPH. 


237 


with.  Full  of  energy,  inflexible  of  purpose — aggres- 
sive, bold,  and  untiring — in  a  popular  cause  be  would 
have  been  resistless.  There  were  men  in  the  Feder- 
alist party  at  this  time  capable  of  carrying  even  a 
bad  cause  if  relieved  from  external  pressure.  But 
the  impressment  of  American  citizens,  massacres  in 
the  north,  and  outrages  along  the  sea  coast,  so 
aroused  the  national  indignation,  that  both  words 
and  efforts  became  powerless  before  it.  Like  the  re- 
sistless tide,  which  bears  away  both  strong  and  weak,  it 
hushed  argument,  drowned  explanations,  and  silenced 
V  -mings,  as  it  surged  on,  breaking  down  barriers,  and 
sweeping  away  defences  that  seemed  impregnable. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  men  in  this  Con- 
gress was  John  Eandolph,  of  Eoanoke,  as  he  always 
wrote  himself.  Possessed  of  rare  endowments,  and 
of  ample  wealth,  fortune  had  lavished  on  him  every 
gift  but  that  of  sex.  He  was  at  this  time  exceed- 
ingly fair.  Conflicts  and  rude  jostlings  with  the 
world  had  not  yet  wrinkled  and  blackened  his 
visage,  soured  his  sensitive  temper,  or  driven  him 
into  that  misanthropy  and  those  eccentricities 
which  afterwards  disfigured  his  life.  He  was  six 
feet  high  and  frail  in  person,  but  his  brilliant 
black  eye  fairly  dazzled  the  beholder,  as  he  rose  to 
speak,  and  made  him  forget  the  fragile  form  before 
him.  His  voice  was  too  thin  for  public  speaking, 
and  when  pitched  high  was  shrill  and  piercing.    But 


l4^ 


Iv 


238 


SECOND    WAB  WITH   ENGLAND. 


in  common  conversation  it  was  like  an  exquisite 
instrument,  on  which  the  cunning  player  discoursed 
strange  and  bewitching  music,  and  no  one  could 
escape  its  fascination.  His  first  glance  round  the 
hall  attracted  silence,  and  all  bent  to  catch  the  tones 
of  that  musical  feminine  voice.  As  he  became 
excited  in  his  harangue,  his  eye  burned  with  in- 
creased lustre,  while  his  changing  countenance 
revealed  every  thought  and  feeling  before  it  was 
uttered.  So  expressive  was  it  in  transmitting  the 
transitions  that  passed  over  the  soul  and  heart  of  the 
speaker,  that  they  scarcely  needed  the  assistance  of 
language.  Sometimes  fearfully  solemn  and  again 
highly  excited;  he  at  this  time  rarely  indulged  in 
that  withering  sarcasm  which  afterwards  so  often 
drew  blood  from  his  antagonist.  With  the  delicate 
organization  and  sensibilities  of  a  woman,  joined  to 
the  thought  and  ambition  of  a  man,  his  destiny  had 
led  him  into  scenes  that  spoiled  his  temper  and 
erased  some  of  the  most  beautiful  features  of  bis 
character.  Chivalrous  and  fearless,  he  at  first  lent 
his  genius  to  Jefferson's  administration,but  shrunk  from 
the  awful  consequences  of  war  when  it  approached. 
Calhoun,  one  of  the  firmest  props  of  the  govern- 
ment, was  his  antipode  in  almost  every  particular. 
Though  young,  his  face  evinced  no  enthusiasm — hi3 
glistening  eye  no  chivalry.  With  thin  lips,  high 
cheek  bones,  rigid,  yet  not  strong  lines  in  his  face, 


CALHOUN   AND  LOWNDES. 


239 


iquisite 
joursed 
5  could 
ind  the 
le  toiie8 
became 
Nith.  in- 
itenance 

it  was 
:ting  the 
irt  of  the 
atance  of 
ttd  agaia 
dulged  in 

BO  often 
J  delicate 

joined  to 
iStiny  had 

[iiper  and 

es  of  hi3 
first  lent 

irunk  from 

>roached. 
^e  govern- 


an  immense  head  of  hair,  his  personal  appearance 
would  never  have  arrested  the  curiosity  of  the  be- 
holder but  for  his  eye.  This  was  not  brilliant  and 
radiant  like  Bandolph's.  It  did  not  light  up  with 
valor,  nor  burn  with  indignation,  nor  melt  with  pity, 
but  changeless  as  a  piece  of  burnished  steel,  it  had 
a  steady,  cold  glitter,  that  fascinated  for  the  time 
whomsoever  it  fell  upon.  Fixed  and  precise  in  his 
attitude,  and  moveless  in  his  person,  he  poured  forth 
his  thoughts  and  views  with  a  rapidity,  yet  distinct- 
ness, that  startled  one.  Untrammeled  at  this  time 
with  those  abstractions  and  theories  which  afterwards 
confused  his  reasoning  faculties  and  gave  an  irreco- 
verable  twist  to  his  logic  ;  he  brought  his  cool,  clear 
intellect  to  the  aid  of  the  administration,  and  indi- 
cated by  the  power  and  influence  he  soon  acquired, 
his  future  greatness.  No  sophistry  could  escape 
him — the  stroke  of  his  cimetar  cut  through  all  complex- 
ity— and.  when  he  had  done  with  his  opponent's  argu- 
ment it  could  not  have  been  recognized  as  that  which, 
just  before,  looked  so  plausible  and  consistent. 

Two  other  representatives  from  the  same  state 
were  able  friends  of  the  administration.  William 
Lowndes,  a  young  man,  ard  though  not  a  good 
speaker,  nor  prepossessing  in  his  appearance,  carried 
great  influence  by  mere  weight  of  character,  and  the 
consistency  and  firmness  of  his  political  opinions. 
He  was  six  feet  six  inches  high,  and  slender  withal ; 


240 


SECOND   WAR   WITH   ENGLAND. 


a 


^\i< 


jind  when  he  rose  to  address  the  house,  his  unassum- 
ing and  respectful  manner  commanded  attention. 
Of  great  integrity,  clear  headed  and  consistent,  a 
proud,  bright  career  seemed  opening  before  him, 
but  death  soon  closed  it  for  ever. 

Mr.  Cheves  was  chairman  of  committee  of  Ways 
and  Means,  and  exliibited  great  ability  in  that 
station. 

But  the  pride  of  the  house  was  the  young  and 
graceful  speaker,  Henry  Clay.  Tall,  and  straight  as 
a  young  forest  tree,  he  was  the  embodiment  of  the 
finest  qualities  of  Western  character.  Possessing 
none  of  the  graces  and  learning  of  the  schools,  nor 
restrained  in  the  freedom  of  thought  and  opinion  by 
the  systems  and  rules,  with  which  they  often  fetter 
the  most  gifted  genius,  he  poured  his  whole  ardent 
soul  and  gallant  heart  into  the  war.  The  true  genius, 
and  final  destiny  of  this  republic,  lie  west  of  the 
Alleghanies.  So  there,  also,  will  spring  up  our  no- 
blest American  literature.  Not  shackled  by  too  great 
reverence  for  the  old  world,  educated  in  a  freer  life, 
and  growing  up  under  the  true  influences  of  American 
institutions,  man  there  becomes  a  freer,  a  more  un- 
selfish being ;  his  purposes  are  nobler,  and  all  his 
instincts  better. 

Impelled  by  pure  patriotism,  and  excited  by  the 
wrongs  and  insults  heaped  upon  his  country.  Clay 
entered  into  those  measures  designed  to  redeem  her 


HENBT  CLAT. 


241 


isBum- 
jntion. 
tent,  a 
3  liim, 

fWays 
,n  that 

mg  and 
light  as 
t  of  the 
issessing 
jols,  nor 
nion  by 
en  fetter 
e  ardent 
B  genius, 
,t  of  the 

our  no- 
Itoo  great 
i-eer  life, 

.merican 

ore  un- 

all  his 


honor,  and  maintain  her  integrity  with  a  zeal  and 
solicitude,  that  soon  identified  him  with  them.     He 
thus  unconsciously  became  a  leader ;  and  whether 
electrifying  the  house  with  his  appeals,  or  in  the 
intervals  of  the  sessions  of  Congress  traversing  his 
state,  and  arousing  the  young  men  to  action,  exhib- 
ited the  highest  qualities  of  an  orator.    His  stirring 
call  to  the  sons  of  Kentucky  was  like  the  winding 
horn  of  the  huntsman,  to  which  they  rallied  with 
ardent  courage  and  dauntless    hearts.    We    now 
always  associate  with   Clay,   the  scattered  white 
locks  and  furrowed  face,  and  slow,  majestic  move- 
ments.   But,  at  this  time,  not  a  wrinkle  seamed  his 
youthful  countenance ;  and  lithe  and  active,  he  moved 
amid  his  companions   with  an  elastic  tread,  and 
animated  features.      His  rich  and   sonorous  voice 
was  so  flexible,  that  it  gave  him  great  power  in  ap- 
pealing to  the  passions  of  men.    When  moving  to 
pity,  it  was  soft  and  pleading  as  a  woman's ;  but 
when  rousing  to  indignation,  or  to  noble  and  gallant 
deeds,  it  rung  like  the  blast  of  a  bugle.    In  moments 
of  excitement,  his  manner  became  highly  impas- 
sioned, his  blue  eye  gleamed  with  the  fire  of  genius, 
and  his  whole  countenance  beamed  with  emotion. 
Thoughts,  images,  illustrations  leaped  to  his  lips, 
and  were  poured  forth  with  a  prodigality  and  elo- 
quence, that  charmed  and  led  captive  all  within 
reach  of  his  voice.    He  loved  his  country  well,  and 
11 


If.'::.  ■ 


ijlC 
l!f. 


242 


SECOND  WAB  WITH  ENGLAND. 


sung  her  wrongs  with  a  pathos,  that  even  his  ene- 
mies could  not  withctand.  When  he  was  disheart- 
ened by  our  tirst  reverses  on  the  northern  frontier, 
he  turned  to  our  gallant  navy  with  a  pride  and  at- 
fection,  he  maintained  till  his  death.  Madison 
leaned  on  him  throughout  this  trying  struggle,  as 
his  chief  prop  and  stay. 

Though  the  House,  rent  by  the  fierce  spirit  of  fac- 
tion, would  often  break  through  the  bounds  of  deco- 
rum and  order,  he  as  speaker  held  the  reins  of  power 
with  a  firm  and  just  hand.  "With  an  easy  and  afla- 
ble  manner,  that  attracted  every  one  to  him,  he  yet 
had  a  will  of  iron.  Under  all  that  frankness  and 
familiarity,  there  was  a  rock-fast  heart,  that  never 
swerved  from  its  purpose.  His  manner  of  carrying 
out  his  plans,  often  misled  men  respecting  the 
strength  of  his  will.  He  was  strictly  suavitdv  in 
modofortiter  m  re.  Clay,  Calhoun,  Randolph,  and 
in  the  next  Congress  Webster,  were  striking  repre- 
sentatives of  the  young  country  rising  rapidly 
to  greatness.  Truly,  "there  were  giants  in  those 
days." 

It  was  estimated  that  the  entire  revenue  for  the 
ensuing  year  would  be  $12,000,000,  while  the  ex- 
penses were  calculated  at  $36,000,000.  To  make  up  the 
$24,000,000  deficit,  the  President  was  authorized  to 
sell  $16,000,000  six  per  cent,  stock,  continue  out- 
standing the  former  $5,000,000  treasury  notes,  and 


STATE  OP  THE  TREASUkT. 


248 


raise  $5,000,000  towards  a  new  loan.  But  the  more 
important  business  was  transferred  to  the  next  Con- 
gress, which  was  to  meet  early  in  the  spring.  The 
two  other  principal  acts  passed  this  session,  was  ono 
authorizing  the  government  to  occupy  Mobile,  and 
all  that  part  of  Florida  ceded  to  the  United  States, 
with  Louisiana,  and  the  other  giving  it  power  to 
retaliate  for  the  twenty-three  Irishmen  taken  from 
Scott  at  Quebec,  and  sent  to  England  to  be  tried  for 
treason. 


I 


1813. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Action  between  the  Chesapeake  and  Shannon— Bejoicing  in  England  over  the  tIo- 
tory— The  Enterprise  captures  the  Boxer— Death  of  Lieutenant  BnrrowB— Dor* 
Ing  cruise  of  the  Argus  in  the  English  and  Irish  channels— Lieutenant  Allen's 
humanity— Action  with  the  Pelican— Death  of  Allen— Ills  character 

Defrats  on  land  had  thus  far  been  compensated 
by  victories  at  sea,  and  to  that  element  we  ever 
turned  with  pride  and  confidence.    Our  exulta- 
tion, however,  was  for  a  moment  checked  by  the 
loss  of  the  Chesapeake,  within  sight  of  our  shores. 
This  vessel  had  started  on  a  cruise  in  February, 
under  the  command  of  Captain  Evans.    Unsuccess- 
ful in  her  attempts  to  find  the  enemy,  and  having 
captured  but  four  merchantmen  during  the  whole 
time  of  her  absence,  she  returned  to  Boston  with 
the  character  of  an  "  unlucky  ship,"  which  she  had 
borne  from  the  outset,  still  more  confirmed.    Captain 
Lawrence  succeeded  Captain  Evans  in  the  command 
of  her,  and  began  to  prepare  for  a  second  cruise. 
An  English  frigate,  the  Shannon,  was  lying  off  the 
harbor  at  the  time,  and  her  commander,  Captain 


CIIE8APUAKU   AND  BUANNON. 


245 


Broke,  sent  a  challengo  to  Lawronco,  tu  meet  him  in 
any  latitude  or  longitude.  The  Chesapeake  was 
just  getting  under  way  when  this  challenge  arrived, 
and  Lawrence  resolved  at  once  to  accept  it,  though 
reluctantly,  from  the  disaffected  state  in  which  he 
found  his  crew.  He  had  joined  his  vessel  but  a  few 
days  before ;  the  proper  1st  lieutenant  lay  sick  on 
Bhore,  and  the  acting  lieutenant  was  a  young  man 
unaccustomed  to  his  position,  while  "  there  was  but 
one  other  commissioned  sea  officer  in  the  ship,"  two 
midshipmen  acting  as  third  and  fourth  lieutenants. 
Under  these  circumstances,  and  with  a  discontented, 
complaining  crew,  it  was  evidently  unwise  to  hasten 
a  combat  with  a  ship  that  had  long  been  preparing 
herself  for  such  an  encounter,  and  was,  in  every 
way,  in  the  best  possible  condition.  But  Lawrence, 
brave  and  ambitious  of  renown,  knowing,  also,  that 
the  motives  which  would  prompt  him  to  avoid  a 
combat  would  be  misconstrued,  and  having  but  a 
short  time  before  challenged  an  English  vessel  in 
vain,  determined  to  run  the  hazard,  and  on  the 
morning  of  the  1st  of  June,  stood  boldly  out  to  sea. 
At  four  o'clock  he  overhauled  the  Shannon,  and 
fired  a  gun,  which  made  her  heave  to.  The  Chesa- 
peake, now  about  thirty  miles  from  land,  came  down 
under  easy  sail,  receiving  the  fire  of  the  enemy  as 
she  approached.  Captain  Lawrence  having  deter- 
mined to  lay  tlie  vessel  alongside  and  make  a  yard- 


246 


BBOOKD  WAB  WITU  KNOLAND. 


l!  It 


m  -m 


arm  to  yard-arm  fight  of  it,  reserved  his  fire  until 
every  gun  bore,  when  he  delivered  a  destructive 
broadside.    The  clouds  of  smoke  as  they  puffed  out 
upon  the  sea  and  rolled  upward,  thrilled  the  hearts 
of  the   hundreds  of  spectators  that  crowned  the 
dim  highlands  around  Boston  harbor.    For  a  few 
minutes  the  cannonading  was  terrific,  but  some  of 
the  rigging  of  the  Chesapeake  being  cut  to  pieces 
one  of  the  sails  got  loose  and  blew  out,  which 
brought  the  ship  into  the  wind.     Then  taking  steru- 
way  she  backed  on  her  enemy,  and  the  rigging  and 
an  anchor  becoming  entangled,  she  could  not  get  off. 
This,  of  course,  exposed  her  to  a  raking  fire,  which 
swept  her  decks.    Captain  Lawrence,  during  the  con- 
flict, had  received  a  wound  in  the  leg,  while  several 
of  his  officers  were  killed.    When  he  found  that  his 
vessel  would  inevitably  fall  aboard  that  of  the 
enemy,  he  ordered  the  drums  to  summon  the  board- 
ers.    But  a  negro  bugleman  attempting  to  perform 
this  duty  was  so  frightened  that  he  could  not  blow  a 
note,  and  verbal  orders  were  distributed.    In  the 
mean  time,  Lawrence  fell  mortally  wounded.  Carried 
below,  his  last  words  were  "  Don't  give  up  the  ship," 
a  motto  which  Perry  soon  after  carried  emblazoned 
on  his  flag  as  he  passed  from  his  helpless,  dismantled 
ship,   through  the  enemy's  fire,  to   the  Niagara. 
With  his  fall  ceased  all  efforts  to  carry  the  Shannon 
by  boarding.    The  commander  of  the  latter  finding 


BEJOIOINOS  IN  ENGLAND. 


247 


tlie  quarter-deck  guns  of  the  Cliusapeako  abandoned, 
gave  the  orders  to  board,  and  the  tiag  which  liad 
never  yet  been  struck  to  anytliing  like  an  equal  foe, 
was  hauled  down.  The  destruction  on  board  the 
American  ship  after  she  fell  foul  of  the  enemy  was 
frightful.  The  entire  battle  lasted  but  twelve 
minutes,  and  yet  in  that  short  time  a  hundred  ar  d 
forty-six  of  her  officers  and  crew  were  kilUjd  or 
wounded.  The  loss  of  the  Shannon  was  twenty- 
three  killed  and  fifty-six  wounded.  This  victory  of 
the  British  was  tarnished  by  the  brutal  conduct  of 
Lieutenant  Faulkeuer,  who  took  commara  of  the 
prize.  The  testimony  of  the  surviving  officers 
proved  him  unworthy  to  serve  under  the  gallant 
commander  who  had  so  nobly  fought  his  ship. 

Tlie  Americans  had  become  so  accustomed  to 
naval  victories  that  they  felt  great  chagrin  at  this 
defeat,  while  the  unexpected  triumph,  coming  as  it 
did  on  the  top  of  such  successive  disasters,  was 
received  with  the  most  extravagu:-i  delight  in  Eng- 
land :  the  Tower  bells  were  rung,  salvos  of  artillery 
tired,  and  praises  innumerfibie  and  honors  were 
lavished  on  Captain  Broke.  Our  navy  never  re- 
ceived a  greater  compliment  than  these  unwonted 
demonstrations  of  joy  uttered.  The  state  of  the 
crew — the  accidental  blowing  out  of  the  sail — the 
neglect  of  officers  to  board — and  a  variety  of  excuses 
were  offered  to  solace  the  American  people  for  this 


IB  '' 


7 


H  i 


»E 


248 


SECOND   WAR  WITH   ENGLAND. 


in.  HI 


\l  f-i',' 


~m 


1: 


)  ;'■!■ 


S'  II 


defeat.  There  was,  doubtless,  much  force  in  what 
was  said,  but  the  falling  of  a  mast,  or  the  loss  of  the 
wheel,  or  any  casualty  which  renders  a  vessel  un- 
manageable, and  gives  one  or  the  other  a  decided 
advantage,  is  always  liable  to  occur;  hence,  un- 
broken success  is  impossible.  Occasional  misfortune 
is  a  law  of  chance. 

But  during  the  summer  and  autumn  our  other 
vessels  at  sea  continued  to  give  a  good  account  of 
themselves.  Tlie  three  little  cruisers.  Siren,  Enter- 
prise, and  Vixen,  were  great  favorites,  for  their 
gallant  conduct  in  the  bay  of  Tripoli.  The  latter 
was  captured  early  in  the  war  by  an  English  frigate. 
The  Siren  did  not  go  to  sea  till  next  year,  when  she 
too,  after  giving  a  British  74  a  chase  of  eleven 
hours,  was  taken.  The  Enterprise  was  kept  between 
Cape  Ann  and  the  Bay  of  Fundy,  to  chase  off  the 
privateers  that  vexed  our  commerce  in  those  waters. 
She  was  a  successful  cruiser  against  these  smaller 
vessels,  capturing  several  and  sending  them  into 
port.  A  few  days  before  Perry's  victory,  this  vessel 
left  the  harbor  of  Portland,  and  while  sweep- 

Sept.  4t  . 

ing  out  to  sea  discovered  a  strange  sail  close 
in  shore.  The  latter  immediately  hoisted  four 
British  ensigns  and  stood  on  after  the  Enterprise. 
Lieutenant  Burrows,  the  commander,  kept  away, 
and  ordered  a  long  gun  forward  to  be  brought  aft 
and  run  out  of  one  of  the  windows.    He  had  but 


ENTESPBISE  TAKES  THE  BOXES. 


249 


lence,  un- 


lately  joined  the  ship,  and  hence  was  but  little 
known  by  the  under  officers  and  men.    The  latter 
did  not  like  the  looks  of  this  preparation,  especially 
as  he  kept  carrying  on  sail.    They  feared  he  had 
made  up  his  mind  to  run,  and  this  gun  was  to  be 
used  as  a  stern-chaser.    From  the  moment  they  had 
seen  the  British  ensign  they  were  eager  to  close  with 
tlie  enemy,  and  the  disappointment  irritated  them. 
The  seamen  on    the   forecastle  stood   grouped   to- 
gether, discussing  this  strange  conduct  on  the  part  of 
their  commander  for  awhile,  and  then  went  to  their 
ofl&cer  and  begged  him  to  go  and  see  about  it — to 
tell  the  captain  they  wanted  to  fight  the  British  ves- 
sel, and  they  believed  they  could  whip  her.    The 
latter  finally  went  forward  and  spoke  to  the  first 
lieutenant,  who  told  him  they  need  not  be  troubled, 
Mr.  Burrows  would  soon  give  them  fighting  enough 
to  do.    This  was  satisfactory,  and  they  looked  cheer- 
ful again.    The  preparations  all  being  made,  and  the 
land  sufficiently  cleared.  Burrows  shortened  sail  and 
bore  down  on  the  enemy.     As  the  two  vessels,  ap- 
proaching diagonally,  came  within  pistol  shot  of  each 
other,  they  delivered  their  broadsides,  and  bore  away 
together.      The  Enterprise,   however,   drew  ahead, 
and  Burrows  finding  himself  forward  of  the  enemy's 
bows,  ordered  the  helm  down,  and  passing  directly 
across  his  track,  raked  him  with  his  long  gun  from 
the  cabin  window.    He  then  waited  for  him  to  come 


250 


SECOND  WAR   WITH   ENGItAND. 


up  on  the  other  quarter,  when  they  again  moved  off 
alongside  of  each  other,  firing  their  broadsides,  till  at 
length  the  main-top-mast  of  the  English  vessel  came 
down.  Kaking  her  again  with  bis  long  gun.  Bur- 
rows took  up  his  station  on  her  bows,  and  poured  in 
a  rapid  and  destructive  fire. 

The  men  serving  one  of  the  carronades  being  sadly 
reduced  in  numbers,  and  unable  to  manage  their 
piece.  Burrows  stepped  forward,  and  seized  hold  of  the 
tackle  to  help  them  run  it  out.  Placing  his  feet 
against  the  bulwark  to  pull  with  greater  force,  he 
was  struck  in  the  thigh  by  a  shot  which  glanced 
from  the  bone  and  entered  his  body,  infiicting  a 
mortal,  and  exceedingly  painful  wound.  He  refused, 
however,  to  be  carried  below,  and  laid  down  on 
deck,  resolved,  though  writhing  in  excruciating 
agony,  to  encourage  his  officers  and  men  by  his 
presence  so  long  as  life  lasted. 

In  forty  minutes  from  the  commencement  of  the 
action  the  enem^'  ceased  firing,  and  hailed  to  say  he 
had  struck.  The  commanding  officer  ordered  him 
to  haul  down  his  flag.  The  latter  replied  they  were 
nailed  to  the  mast,  and  could  not  be  lowered  till  the 
firing  ceased.  It  was  then  stopped,  when  an  English 
officer  sprang  on  a  gun,  and  shaking  both  fists  at  the 
Americans,  cried,  "  No — ^no,"  and  swore  and 
raved,  gesticulating,  in  the  most  ludicrous  manner 


II' ,r 


DEATH   OF  BURROWS. 


251 


till  he  was  ordered  below.  This,  together  with  the 
awkward  manner  of  lowering  colors  with  levers 
and  hatchets,  drew  peals  of  laughter  from  the  Amer- 
ican sailors. 

Lieutenant  Burrows  lived  till  the  sword  of  the 
English  couiinander  wab  placed  under  his  head, 
when  he  murmured,  "  I  die  contented."  This  vessel, 
which  proved  to  be  the  Boxer,  was  terribly  cut  up, 
but  the  number  of  killed  was  never  ascertained,  as  they 
were  thrown  overboard  fast  as  they  fell.  She  had 
fourteen  wounded,  while  the  loss  of  the  Americans 
was  one  killed  and  thirteen  wounded. 

After  this  the  Enterprise,  under  Lieutenant  Ren- 
shaw,  cruised  south,  in  company  with  the  Battle- 
snake,    both    having    many    narrow    escapes  from 
British  men  of  war.    The  former  captured,  off  the 
coast  of  Florida,  the  British  privateer.  Mars,  of  four- 
teen guns.    Soon  after  she  was  chased  by  a  frigate 
for  three  days,  the  latter  often  being  within  gunshot. 
So  hard  was  the  brig  pressed,  that  Lieutenant 
Eenshaw  was  compelled  to  throw  his  anchors,  cables, 
and  all  but  one  of  his  guns  overboard.     At  length  it 
fell   calm,  and  the   frigate  began  to   hoist  out  her 
boats.    The  capture  of  the  brig  then  seemed  inevit- 
able, but  a  light  breeze  springing  up,  bringing  her 
fortunately  to   windward,  her  sails  filled,  and  she 
swept  joyfully  away  from  her  formidable  antagonist. 
Soon  after  Eenshaw  was  transferred  to  the  Eattle- 


ii 


'  I'f! 


252 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


enake,  in  which  vessel  he  was  again  so  hard  pressed  by 
a  man  of  war,  that  he  had  to  throw  over  all  his  guns 
but  two.  Afterwards,  near  the  same  spot,  being 
wedged  in  between  a  British  frigate  and  the  land,  he 
was  compelled  to  strike  his  flag. 

The  Argus,  another  brig,  was  launched  this  year, 
and  dispatched  in  June  to  France,  to  carry  out  Mr. 
Crawford,  our  newly  appointed  Minister  to  that 
country.  Having  accomplished  this  mission.  Lieu- 
tenant Allen,  the  commander,  steered  for  the  coast 
of  England,  and  cruised  boldly  in  the  chops  of  the 
Englisli  channel.  Here  and  in  the  Irish  channel, 
this  daring  commander  pounced  upon  British  mer- 
chantmen while  almost  entering  their  own  ports.  He 
was  in  the  midst  of  the  enemy's  cruisers,  and  the 
most  untiring  watchfulness  was  demanded  to  avoid 
capture.  Unable  to  man  his  prizes  he  set  them  on 
fire,  making  the  Irish  Channel  lurid  with  the  flames 
of  burning  vessels,  and  lighting  up  such  beacon  fires 
as  England  never  before  saw  along  her  coast.  Great 
astonishment  was  felt  in  Great  Britain  at  the  daring 
and  success  of  this  bold  marauder,  and  vessels  were 
sent  out  to  capture  him.  But  for  a  long  time  he 
eluded  their  search,  leaving  only  smouldering  ships 
to  tell  where  he  had  been.  This  service  was  dis- 
tasteful to  Allen,  who  was  ambitious  of  distinction, 
and  wished  for  an  antagonist  more  worthy  of  his 
B<"<'ention.    Determined  to  combine  as  much  kind- 


HUMANriT   OF  ALLEN. 


253 


ness  and  humanity  with  his  duty  as  he  could,  he 
allowed  no  plundering  of  private  property.  All  pas- 
sengers of  captured  vessels  were  permitted  to  go  be- 
low, and  unwatched,  pack  up  whatever  they  wished, 
and  to  pass  unchallenged.  The  slightest  deviation 
from  this  rule,  on  the  part  of  his  crew,  was  instantly 
and  severely  punished.  This  humanity,  joined  to  his 
daring  acts,  brought  back  to  the  English  the  days 
of  Robin  Hood  and  Captain  Kidd. 

A  cruise  like  this  of  a  single  brig  in  the  Irish 
Channel,  could  not,  of  course,  continue  long.  Even 
if  she  could  avoid  capture,  the  crew  must  in  time 
sink  under  their  constant  and  fatiguing  efforts. 

On  the  thirteenth  of  August,  Allen  captured  a 
vessel  from  Oporto,  loaded  with  wine.  Towards 
morning  he  set  her  on  fire,  and  by  the  light  of  her 
blazing  spars  stood  away  under  easy  sail.  Soon 
after  daylight  he  saw  a  large  brig  of  war  bearing 
down  upon  him,  perfectly  covered  with  canvas.  He 
immediately  took  in  sail  to  allow  her  to  close,  and 
when  she  came  within  close  range  gave  her  a  broad- 
side. As  the  vessels  continued  to  approach  the 
firing  became  more  rapid  and  destructive.  In  four 
minutes  Captain  Allen  was  mortally  wounded  by  a 
round  shot,  carrying  off  his  leg.  His  officers  imme- 
diately caught  him  up  to  carry  him  below,  but  he 
ordered  them  back  to  their  posts.  In  a  short  time, 
however,  he  fainted  from  loss   of  blood  and  was 


254 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


I)  I'll'!  I 


;    ■   !l, 


taken  away.  Four  minutes  after,  the  first  lieutenant, 
"Watson,  was  struck  in  the  head  by  a  grape  shot,  and 
he  too  was  taken  below.  There  was  then  but  one 
lieutenant  left,  Lieut.  H.  All  n,  who  though  alone, 
fought  his  ship  gallantly.  But  the  rigging  was  soon 
so  cut  up  that  the  vessel  became  unmanageable,  and 
the  enemy  chose  his  own  position.  In  about  a  quar- 
ter of  an  hour  Mr.  "Watson  was  able  to  return  on 
deck,  when  he  found  the  brig  rolling  helplessly  on 
the  water,  a  target  for  the  Englishman's  guns.  He 
however  determined  to  get  alongside  and  board,  but 
all  his  efforts  to  do  so  were  abortive,  and  he  was 
compelled  to  strike  his  colors.  His  victorious  adver- 
sary was  the  Pelican,  a  brig  of  war  a  fourth  larger 
than  the  Argus. 

Unwilling  to  believe  that  this  great  disparity  of 
force  was  a  sufficient  reason  for  the  defeat,  the 
Americans  endeavored  to  account  for  it  in  other 
ways.  It  was  said  that  the  sailors  succeeded  in 
smuggling  wine  from  the  brig  burned  a  few  hours 
before,  and  were  not  in  a  condition  to  fight — others 
that  they  were  so  overcome  with  fatigue  that  they 
nodded  at  their  guns.  Her  fire  was  certainly  much 
less  destructive  than  that  of  other  American  vessels, 
which  one  of  the  ofticers  on  board  said  was  owing  to 
the  powder  used.  Getting  short  of  ammunition, 
they  had  taken  some  powder  from  an  English  vessel 
bound  to  South  America.    This  being  placed  upper- 


CAITURE   OF  THE    AK0U8. 


255 


most  in  the  magazine,  was  used  in  this  engagement. 
It  was  afterwards  ascertained  to  be  condemned  pow- 
der, going  as  usual  to  supply  South  American  and 
Mexican  armies.  In  proof  of  this,  it  was  said  that 
the  Pelican's  hull  was  dented  with  shot,  that  had  not 
force  enougli  to  pierce  the  timbers.  The  superiority 
of  the  English  vessel  in  size,  however,  is  a  sufficient 
reason,  without  resorting  to  these  explanations.*  If 
any  other  was  wanted,  it  would  be  found  in  the  early 
loss  of  the  superior  officers.  Such  a  calamity,  at 
the  outset  of  an  engagement,  will  almost  invariably 
turn  an  even  scale.  One  officer  cannot  manage  a 
ship,  and  sailors  without  leaders  never  fight  well. 

Captain  Allen  was  taken  ashore  ajid  placed  in  a 
hospital.  As  he  was  carried  from  the  ship,  he  turned 
his  languid  eyes  on  the  comrades  of  his  perils  and 
murmured,  "God  bless  you,  ray  lads;  we  shall 
never  meet  again."  His  conduct  on  the  English 
coast  furnishes  a  striking  contrast  to  that  of  Cock- 
burn,  along  our  shore8.f 

*  The  Pelican  was  485  tons,  the  Argus  298.  The  former  threw 
nearly  two  hundred  pounds  more  metal  than  the  latter  at  every 
discharge. 

t  Oapt.  Allen  was  born  in  Providence  in  1784,  and  entered  the 
navy  as  a  midshipman  when  sixteen  years  of  age.  His  father  was  an 
oflicer  in  the  Revolution,  and  served  with  distinction.  Young 
Allen,  seven  years  after  his  appointment,  was  lieutenant  on  board 
the  Chesapeake,  when  Barron  shamefully  struck  his  flag  to  the 
Leopard.  He  fired  the  only  gun  that  replied  to  the  British  broad- 
side, touching  it  off  with  a  coal  that  he  plucked  from  the  fire  in 


ili,^; 


256 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


the  galley.  The  shot  passed  directly  through  the  ward-room  of 
the  Leopard.  His  indignation  at  the  conduct  of  Barron  over- 
leaped all  bounds,  and  he  told  him  bluntly,  "  Sir,  you  have  dis- 
graced MS."  He  drew  up  a  letter  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy, 
demanding  a  court  martial.  '*  Oh,"  said  he,  in  writing  home, 
"  when  I  act  like  this,  may  I  die  unpitied  and  forgotten,  and  no 
tour  be  shed  to  my  memory."  He  was  a  brave  and  gallant  officer, 
and  distinguished  himself  in  the  action  between  the  United  States 
and  Macedonian,  and  took  command  of  the  latter  after  her  surren- 
der.   His  death  was  a  great  loss  to  the  navy. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Cost  of  transportation  to  the  northern  frontier— English  fleet  on  our  coast— 
Chesapeake  blockaded— Blockade  of  the  whole  coaat— Gockburn  attacks  French- 
town— Bums  Havre  Do  Grace— Attacks  Georgetown  and  Frcdorickstown— 
Arrivd  of  British  roinforcemonts — Attack  on  Granoy  Island — Barbarities  com- 
inittod  in  Hampton— Excitement  caused  by  these  outrages— Oommodoro  Hardy 
blockades  tlie  northern  coast— Torpedoes— Ilostlle  attitude  of  Massachasett»— 
Remonstrances  of  its  legislature — Feeling  of  the  people. 


With  such  a  large  extent  of  ocean  and  lake  coast, 
and  so  vast  and  unprotected  western  and 
southern  frontiers  occupied  by  hostile  savages, 
our  troops  were  necessarily  distributed  over  a  wide 
surface.  The  northern  army  alone  acted  on  the 
offensive — ^in  all  other  sections  of  the  country  the 
Republic  strove  only  to  preserve  its  territory  intact. 
The  summer  in  which  Dearborn's  army  lay  inactive 
at  Fort  George,  looked  gloomy  for  the  nation.  Great 
exertions  were  being  made  to  retrieve  our  errors, 
and  the  war  in  the  north  was  carried  on  at  an  enor- 
mous expense.  The  conveying  of  provisions  and 
arms  for  such  a  distance  on  pack-horses,  increased 
immensely  the  price  of  every  article.  It  was  said 
that  each  cannon,  by  the  time  it  reached  Sackett's 


258 


SECOND   WAR  WITH   ENGLAND. 


!  HI 


/    t\ 


n 


Harbor,  cost  a  thousand  dollars,  while  the  transport- 
ation of  provisions  to  the  army  of  Harrison  swelled 
them  to  such  an  exorbitant  price,  that  the  amount 
expended  on  a  small  detachment  would  now  feed  a 
whole  army.  The  cost  of  building  the  indifferent 
vessels  we  had  on  Lake  Ontario,  was  nearly  two 
millions  of  dollars. 

But  while  these  vast  expenditures  wore  made  for  the 
northern  army,  and  Harrison  was  gradually  concentrat- 
ing his  troops  at  Fort  Meigs,  and  Perry  building  his 
little  fleet  on  Lake  Erie,  soon  to  send  up  a  shout  that 
should  shake  the  land,  and  while  the  murmuring  of 
the  savage  hordes,  that  stretched  from  Mackinaw  to 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  foretold  a  bloody  day  approach- 
ing, an  ominous  cloud  was  gathering  over  the 
Atlantic  sea-coast.  English  fleets  were  hovering 
around  our  harbors  and  threatening  our  cities  and 
towns  with  conflagration.  The  year  before,  England 
could  spare  but  few  vessels  or  troops  to  carry  on  the 
war.  Absorbed  in  the  vast  designs  of  Napoleon, 
who  having  wrested  from  her  nearly  all  her  allies 
and  banded  them  together  under  his  standard — 
Austria,  Prussia,  Poland,  all  Germany  pressing  after 
his  victorious  eagles  as  they  flashed  above  the  waters 
of  the  Niemen — was  at  that  time  advancing  with  a 
half  million  of  men  on  the  great  northern  power. 
If  he  should  prove  successful,  England  would  be 
compelled  to  succumb,  or  with  a  still  more  over- 


BLOOKADE    OF    OUB   COAST. 


259 


whelming  force  lie  would  next  precipitate  himself 
upon  her  shores.  But  the  snow-drifts  of  Russia  had 
closed  over  that  vast  and  gallant  host — his  allies  had 
abandoned  him,  and  the  rising  of  the  nations  around 
him,  in  his  weak,  exhausted  condition,  foretold  the 
overthrow  that  soon  sent  him  forth  an  exile  from  his 
throne  and  kingdom.  Released  from  the  anxiety 
that  had  hitherto  rendered  her  comparatively  in- 
different to  the  war  on  this  continent,  she  resolved  to 
mete  out  to  us  a  chastisement  the  more  severe  since 
it  had  been  so  long  withheld.  Irritated,  too,  because 
we  had  endeavored  to  rob  her  of  her  provinces  at  a 
moment  when  she  was  the  least  able  to  extend  pro- 
tection to  them,  she  did  not  regard  us  as  a  common 
enemy,  but  as  one  who  by  his  conduct  had  ceased  to 
merit  the  treatment  accorded  in  civilized  warfare. 
The  first  squadron  appeared  in  the  Chesapeake  in 
February  and  blockaded  it.  Soon  after  another, 
entered  the  Delaware  under  the  command  of  Beres- 
ford,  who  attempted  to  land  at  Lewistown,  but  was 
gallantly  repulsed  by  the  militia,  commanded  by 
Colonel  Davis.  The  town  was  bombarded,  and 
though  the  firing  was  kept  up  for  twenty  hours,  no 
impression  was  made  upon  it.  In  March  the  whole 
coast  of  the  United  States  was  declared  in  a  state  of 
blockade,  with  the  exception  of  Rhode  Island, 
Massachusetts,  and  New  Hampshire.  It  is  not 
known  why  Connecticut  was  not  also  omitted,  but 


2C0 


SECOND  WAB  WITH  ENQLd^uD, 


the  invidious  distinction  made  between  the  eastern 
and  the  other  states  grew  out  of  the  well  known 
hostility  of  the  former  to  the  war.  It  was  intended 
not  only  as  a  reward  for  tlieir  good  behavior  in  the 
past,  but  a  guerdon  of  better  things  should  that 
hostility  assume  a  more  definite  form.  This  intended 
compliment  to  New  England  was  the  greatest  insult 
she  ever  received.  It  was  a  charge  of  disloyalty — 
the  offer  of  a  bribe  for  treason — the  proffer  of  the 
hand  of  friendship,  while  that  same  hand  was  apply- 
ing the  torch  to  American  dwellings  and  carrying  the 
horrors  of  war  to  the  hearth-stone  and  fire-side. 

Admiral  Oockburn,  especially,  made  his  name  in- 
famous by  his  wanton  attacks  on  farm  houses  and 
peaceful  citizens,  and  the  license  he  allowed  to  the 
brutal  soldiery,  who  were  guilty  of  deeds  of  shame 
and  violence  like  those  which  disgraced  the  troops  of 
Wellington  at  Badajos  and  St.  Sebastian.  After 
anmsing  himself  by  these  predatory  exercises  on 
peasants,  hen  roosts,  barns,  and  cattle,  he  planned  the 
more  important  attack  on  Frenchtown,  a  village  consist- 
ing of  six  dwellings  and  two  store  houses.  Taking  with 
him  about  five  hundred  marines,  he  set  out  at  night, 
and  rousing  the  terrified  inhabitants  by  his  cannon, 
landed  his  imposing  force,  burned  the  two  store 
houses,  after  taking  such  of  their  contents  as  he  need- 
ed— committed  some  petty  depredations,  and  retired. 

The  American   frigate.  Constellation,  was  block- 


BFRNINO  OF  HAVRE  DE  ORAOB. 


261 


aded   in  the  bay  bj  this  fleet,  bnt    all  efforts  to 
take  her  were  repulsed  by  her  brave  crew. 

The  scene  of  his  next  exploits  was  Havre  de  Grace, 
a  thriving  town,  situated  on  the  Susquehanna,  about 
„  ^  two  miles  from  the  head  of  the  bay.  He  set 
out  with  his  barges  by  night,  and  at  daylight 
next  morning  awakened  the  inhabitants  with  the 
thunder  of  cannon  and  explosion  of  rockets  in  their 
midst.  A  scene  of  consternation  and  brutality  fol- 
lowed. Frightened  women  and  children  ran  shriek- 
ing through  the  streets,  pursued  by  the  insults  and 
shouts  of  the  soldiers.  The  houses  were  sacked  and 
then  set  on  fire.  The  ascending  smoke  and  flames  of 
the  burning  dwellings  increased  the  ferocity  of  the 
men,  and  acts  were  committed,  from  mere  wanton- 
ness, disgraceful  both  to  the  soldiers  and  their  com- 
manders. The  work  of  destruction  being  completed, 
the  British  force  was  divided  into  three  bodies — one 
of  which  was  ordered  to  remain  as  guard,  while  the 
other  two  pierced  inland,  spoiling  and  insulting  the 
farmers,  and  robbing  peaceful  travellers.  For  three 
days  this  gallant  corps  remained  the  terror  and  pest 
of  the  surrounding  country,  and  then  re-embarked 
with  their  booty,  leaving  the  inhabitants  to  return  to 
the  ashes  of  their  dwellings.  Georgetown  and 
Frederictown  became,  in  turn,  the  prey  of  these 
marauders,  and  the  light  of  burning  habitations,  and 
tears  of  women  and  children,  fleeing  in  every  direc- 


262 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


tion,  kindled  into  tenfold  fury  the  rage  of  the  inha- 
bitants.   A  sympathetic  feeling  pervaded  Congress, 
and  no  sooner  did  it  assemble  than  Clay,  the  speaker, 
descended  from  the  chair,  and  demanded  an  investi- 
gation of  the  charges  brought  against  British  soldiers 
and  oflScers.    These  excesses,  however,  were  but  the 
prelude  to  greater  and  more  revolting  ones.   Admiral 
"Warren  having  arrived  in  the  bay  with  reinforce- 
ments,  and    land   troops  under   the    command    of 
General  Beckwith,   more  serious  movements   were 
resolved  upon.    Norfolk  was  selected  as  the  first 
point  of  attack.    This  important  town  was  protected 
by  two  forts  on  either  side  of  the  Elizabeth  river, 
between  which  the  frigate  Constellation  lay  at  anchor. 
Soon  after  the  fleet  moved  to  the  mouth  of  James 
river,  and  began  to  prepare  for  an  attack  on  Craney 
Island,   the  first  obstacle  between  it  and  Norfolk. 
Penetrating  their  design.  Captain  Tarbell  landed  a 
hundred  seamen  on  the  island,  to  man  a  fort  on  the 
north-west  side,  while  he  moved  his  gun  boats  so  as 
to  command  the  other  channel.     At  day  dawn  on 
the  22d,  fifty  barges  loaded  with  troops  were  seen 
puilling  swiftly  towards  the  island,  to  a  point  out  of 
reach  of  the  gun  boats,  but  within  range  of  the 
batteries  on  shore.    These  immediately  opened  their 
fire  with  such  precision,  that  many  of  the  boats  were 
cut  in  two  and  sunk,  and  the  remainder  compelled 
to  retire.     An  attempt  from  the  mainland  was  also 


BURNmO   OF  HAMPTON. 


263 


repulsed  by  the  Virginia  militia,  under  Colonel 
Beatty.  The  enemy  lost  in  this  attack  between  two 
and  tliree  hundred  men,  while  the  Americans  suffered 
but  little.  Three  days  after  the  repulse  at  Oraney 
Island,  Admiral  Cockburn,  assisted  by  General  Beck- 
with,  made  a  descent  on  Hampton,  a  small  fishing 
town  by  Hampton  roads.  The  riflemen  stationed 
there,  and  the  militia,  bravely  resisted  the  land- 
ing, but  were  finally  driven  back  by  superior  num- 
bers. The  place  was  then  entered  and  plun- 
dered, not  merely  of  its  public  stores,  but  private 
property.  This  little  fishing  town  was  literally 
sacked  by  the  British  army  of  twenty-five  hundred 
men.  Private  houses  were  rifled,  even  the  commu- 
nion service  of  the  church  was  carried  away,  while 
the  women  were  subjected  to  the  most  degrading 
insults,  and  ramshed  m  open  day !  The  American 
army  marched  into  Mexico  over  the  bodies  of  their 
slain  comrades,  and  were  fired  upon  for  a  whole  day 
from  the  roofs  of  houses  after  the  city  had  surren- 
dered, yet  no  such  acts  of  violence  were  ever  charged 
on  them  as  were  committed  under  the  sanction  of  the 
British  flag  in  this  little  peaceful,  solitary,  and  de- 
fenceless village.  The  authorities  of  the  different 
towns  took  up  the  matter — witnesses  were  examined, 
affidavits  made,  and  the  proceedings  forwarded  to 
the  British  Commander.  The  charges  were  denied, 
but  they  stand  proved  to  this  day,  a  lasting  stigma 


lill 


264 


SECOND   WAR   WITH   ENGLAND. 


B    '/  1 


1 1 


m 


I. 


■;1 


I 


.^1 


"is 


I  r 


on  the  name  of  Cockburn.    This  rear  admiral  in  the 
British  navy  not  only  allowed  such  outrages  in  one 
instance,  but  repeatedly.    There  was  a  harmony  in 
his   proceedings   refuting  the  apology  of   uninten- 
tional baseness.    His  expeditions  were  those  of  a 
brigand,  and  he  changed  civilized  warfare  into  ma- 
rauding, robbery,  and  pillage.    The  news  of  these 
enormities,  aggravated  as  they  passed  from  mouth  to 
mouth,  spread  like  wildfire  amid  the  people.    Stir- 
ring appeals  were  heard  in  every  village  and  town. 
Oalra  reflection  and  reason  were  indignantly  spurned ; 
woman,  manhood,  patriotism,  all  cried  aloud  for  ven- 
geance, and  the  war-cry  of  an  aroused  and  indignant 
people  swelled   like  thunder  over  the  land.    The 
leaders  of  the  anti-war  faction  saw  with  consterna- 
tion this  rising  sympathy  of  the  masses.     It  threat- 
ened, for  tie  time,  to  sweep  away  their  influence 
entirely.    The  British  committed  a  vital  error  in 
allowing  these  excesses,  for  they  harmonized  the 
hitherto  divided  feelings  of  the  people,  and  furnished 
the  upholders  of  the  war  with  anew^nd  powerful 
argument  for  unity  and  energy.    The  Tvublic  ear  had 
become  accustomed  to  the  tales  of  impressment  and 
charges  of  the  invasion  of  neutral  rights.    The  atroci- 
ties on  the  north-weste^'n  frontier  affected  the  west 
more  th^n  the  east,  where  they  were  charged  rather 
to  the  Indians  than  to  the  British  Government,  and 
were  inflicted  on  an  invading  force.    But  a  system 


-^ 


CX)CKBUEN   AND   HARDY. 


265 


of  warfare  so  abhorrent  to  humanity,  aroused  into 
activity  a  spirit  which  gave  tenfold  strength  to  the 
administration. 

While  the  Chesapeake  remained  blockaded,  Ad- 
miral Cockburn,  with  a  portion  of  the  "fleet,  moved 
southward,  preceded  by  the  history  of  his  deeds. 
The  coasts  of  the  Carolinas  and  Georgia  were 
thrown  into  a  state  of  agitation  bordering  on  frenzy. 
Mrs.  Gaston,  wife  of  a  member  of  Congress,  died  in 
convulsions  from  the  terror  inspired  by  this  British 
Admiral.  He,  however,  effected  but  little.  Land- 
ing at  Portsmouth  he  seized  some  booty  and  a  few 
slaves.  From  the  outset  he  had  attempted  to  per- 
suade the  slaves  to  rise  against  their  masters,  and 
actually  organized  a  company  of  blacks  to  aid  him 
in  his  marauding  expeditions. 

The  squadron  blockading  the  coast  north  of  the 
Chesapeake  was  commanded  by  Commodore  Hardy, 
the  reverse  of  Cockburn  in  every  quality  that  dis- 
tinguished the  latter.  He  waged  no  warfare  on 
defenceless  towns,  and  villages,  and  women  and  chil- 
dren. Humane  and  generous,  he  had  more  cause  to 
complain  of  the  conduct  of  the  excited  inhabitants, 
than  they  of  his.  Although  he  landed  at  various 
places  he  allowed  his  troops  to  commit  no  violence.  • 

The  American  coast,  south  of  Cape  Cod,  was  at 
length  thoroughly  blockaded,  so  that  not  only  were 
our  ships  at  home  shut  in  port,  but  those  endeavor- 

12 


I 
!|i 

■iiiii  I 


I  i   73 


V.     - 


m 


266 


SEOOND  WAR  WITH   ENGLAND. 


ing  to  enter  from  without  captured,  and  our  whole 
coasting  trade  was  cut  otf,  causing  the  country  to 
feel  severely  the  miseries  of  war.    The  Constellation 
remained  blockaded  in  the  Chesapeake,  while  the 
Macedonian,  United  States,  and  sloop  Hornet,  in 
endeavoring  to  escape  from  New  York  by  the  way 
of   the  Sound,   were    chased    into  New  London, 
where  they  were  compelled  to  lay  inactive.    In  the 
mean  time,  in  accordance  with  an  act  of  Congress, 
passed  in  the  winter,  allowing  half  of  the  value  of 
war  ships  to  those  who  should  destroy  them  by 
other  means  than  armed  or  commissioned  vessels  of 
the  United  States,  great  ingenuity  was  exhibited  in 
the  construction  of  torpedoes.    Several   attempts 
were  made  to  blow  up  the  British  frigates,  but  with- 
out success.    The  Plantagenet,  however,  riding  in 
Lynn  Haven  bay,  came  near  falling  a  victim  to  one 
of  these  missiles,  which  spread  terror  through  the 
British  fleet.    After  several  unsuccessful  efforts,  Mr. 
Mix,  to  whom  the  torpedo  was  entrusted,  at  length 
succeeded  in  getting  it  near  the  bows  of  the 
vessel,  unperceived.    The  "all's  well"  of 
the  watch  on  deck  had  scarcely  pealed  over  the 
water,  whon  it  exploded  with  terrific  violence.    A 
'  red  and  purple  column  suddenly  rose  fifty  feet  in 
the  air,  and  bursting,  fell  like  a  water-spout  on  deck. 
The  ship  rolled  hoavily  in  the  chasm,  and  a  general 
rush  was  made  for  the  boats,  one  of  which  was 


July  »4:j 


HOSTILITY   OF  THE  FEDEBALISTS. 


267 


blown  into  the  air.  Commodore  Hardy  remon- 
strated against  this  mode  of  warfare,  as  contrary  to 
the  usages  of  civilized  nations,  and  it  was  soon 
abandoned.  The  terror  it  inspired,  however,  made 
him  more  wary  in  approaching  the  coast.  A  boat- 
guard  was  kept  rowing  around  the  ships  all  night, 
and  the  most  extraordinv«iry  precautions  taken  to 
protect  them  from  these  mysterious  engines  of 
destruction. 

While  our  blockaded  coast  was  thus  filling  Con- 
gress with  alarm,  and  the  whole  land  with  gloom 
and  dread,  the  bold  and  hostile  attitude  which  Mas- 
sacnusetts  was  assuming,  both  deepen}  ed  the  general 
indignation  and  added  to  the  embarrassments  under 
which  the  administration  struggled.  Owing,  doubt- 
less, to  the  failures  which  marked  the  close  of  the 
previous  year,  the  elections  in  the  New  England 
states  during  the  early  spring  had  terminated  very 
satisfactorily  to  the  Federalists.  Strong  was  elected 
Governor  of  Massachusetts  by  a  large  majority, 
while  both  branches  of  the  Legislature  were  under 
the  control  of  the  Federalists.  In  Connecticut  and 
New  Hampshire  they  had  also  triumphed,  and  Ver- 
mont, although  her  state  government  and  delegation 
to  Congress  were  Democratic,  was  still  claimed  as 
Federalist  in  the  popular  majority. 

On  the  other  side,  Tiew  York  and  Pennsylvania 
Bpoke  loudly  for  the  Administration,  the  latter  by 


H  ■ 


I*  * 


268 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


May  ao. 


offering  to  loan  a  million  of  dollars  to  the  govern- 
ment, as  an  offset  to  the  efforts  of  the  Federalists  to 
prevent  the  loan  proposed  by  government  being 
taken. 

During  the  summer,  acting  under  a  hostile  mes- 
sage received  from  the  governor,  the  Massa- 
chusetts Legislatm*e  drew  up  a  remonstrance, 
denouncing  the  war  as  wrong  and.  unwise,  prompted 
by  desire  of  conquest  and  love  of  France,  rather 
than  the  wish  to  maintain  the  rights  of  the  people. 
The  report  of  a  committee  against  the  incorporation 
into  the  Union  of  Louisiana,  as  the  commencement 
of  western  annexation,  destined,  if  not  arrested,  to 
destroy  the  preponderance  of  the  Eastern  states,  was 
also  sustained  in  this  remonstrance,  which  closed  with 
a  solemn  appeal  to  the  Searcher  of  all  hearts  for  the 
purity  of  the  motives  which  prompted  it.  Quincy  in 
the  House,  and  Otis  and  Loyd  in  the  Senate,  were 
the  Federalist  leaders.  Not  content  with  taking  this 
hostile  attitude  to  the  General  Government,  the 
Legiblature  soon  after  refused  to  pass  resolutions 
complimentary  to  Captain  Lawrence  for  his  gallant 
conduct  in  capturing  the  Peacock,  and  passed 
instead,  the  following  resolution  introduced  by  a 
preamble,  declaring  that  such  commendations  en- 
couraged the  continuance  of  the  war.  "  Resolved^ 
as  the  sense  of  the  Senate  of  Massachusetts,  that  in 
a  war  like  the  present,  waged  without  justifiable 


ATTITCDK  OF  MASSACHUSETTS. 


269 


cause,  and  prosecuted  in  a  manner  showing  that 
conquest  and  ambition  are  its  real  motives,  it  is  not 
becoming  a  moral  people  to  express  any  appro- 
bation of  military  or  naval  exploits,  which  are  not 
immediately  connected  with  the  defence  of  our 
sea-coast  and  soil."  This  was  not  a  mere  expression 
of  feeling,  but  the  utterance  of  a  principle  acted  on 
from  that  time  to  the  end  of  the  war.  This  proud 
assumption  of  state  rights  and  denunciation  of  the 
war  when  our  coasts  were  blockaded  bv  British 

if 

cruisers  and  our  frontiers  drenched  in  blood,  met 
the  stem  condemnation  of  the  people  through- 
out the  land,  and  raised  a  clamor  that  frightened 
the  authors  of  it.  Party  spirit  had  made  Massachu- 
setts mad,  and  blinded  by  her  own  narrow  views, 
she  wished  to  wrap  herself  up  in  her  isolated  dignity 
and  keep  forever  from  the  great  brotherhood  of 
the  Union  those  western  territories  where  the  hardy 
settler  had  to  contend  not  only  with  the  asperities 
of  nature  but  a  treacherous  foe.  That  "West  which 
she  then  abjured  has  since  repaid  the  wrong  by 
pouring  into  her  lap  countless  treasures,  and  furnish- 
ing homes  for  tens  of  thousands  of  her  sons  and 
daughters.  Allowing  the  spirit  of  faction  to  over- 
ride the  feelings  of  nationality,  she  refused  to 
rejoice  in  the  victories  of  her  country  or  sympathize 
in  her  defeats.  South  Carolina  has  since  assumed  a 
similar  hostile  attitude  to  the  Union,   but  it  yet 


270 


SECOND  WAB  WITH  ENGLAin). 


remains  to  be  seen  whether  she  would  not  sink  her 
private  quarrels  when  the  national  rights  were 
struck  down  and  the  country  wasted  by  a  common 
foe.  As  a  state,  not  only  repudiating  the  authority 
of  the  general  government  and  the  sacredness  of 
the  Union,  but  also  refusing  to  stand  by  the  republic 
in  the  hour  of  adversity  and  darkness,  Massachu- 
setts occupied  at  that  time  a  preeminence  in  our 
history  which  it  is  to  be  hoped  no  other  state  will 
ever  covet. 


I  common 


ISI ' 


CHAPTEE  XII. 

Perry  obtains  and  equips  a  fleet  on  Lake  Erie— Puts  to  sea— Kentncky  marines- 
Description  of  the  battle— Gallant  bearing  of  Perry — Slaughter  on  the  Lawronce — 
Perry  after  the  battle— Burial  of  the  officers— Exultation  of  the  people— Harrison 
advanoeson  Maiden— Flight  of  Proctor- Buttle  of  the  Thames,  and  death  of  T«* 
caniaeh. 

But  while  the  country,  torn  with  internal  strife 
and  wasted  by  external  foes,  looked  with  sad  fore- 
bodings on  the  prospect  before  it,  there  suddenly 
shot  forth  over  the  western  wilderness  a  gleam  of 
light,  like  the  bright  hues  of  sunset,  betokening  a 
fairer  to-morrow.  Perry's  brilliant  victory,  followed 
by  the  overthrow  of  Proctor  a  few  weeks  after, 
thrilled  the  land  from  limit  to  limit.  On  the  frontier, 
where  we  had  met  with  nothing  but  disgrace,  and 
towards  which  the  common  eye  turned  with  chagrin, 
we  had  cancelled  a  portion  of  our  sharne,  and  relieved 
the  national  bosom  of  a  part  of  the  load  that  op- 
pressed it; 

After  the  capture  of  Forts  York  and  George,  by 
which  the  river  of  Niagara  was  opened  to  American 
navigation,  Captain  Perry  was  able  to  take  some 


I"'   A 


272 


4< 


m 


m^' 


•  m 


HI'  I 

mm  ^t        1 


8KC0ND    WAU   WITH   ENGLAND. 


vessels  bought  for  the  service  from  Black  Hock  into 
Lake  Erie.  The  Lake  at  the  limj  was  in  the  pos- 
session of  the  British  fleet,  commanded  by  Captain 
Barclay,  and  Perry  ran  great  hazard  in  encounter- 
ing it  before  ho  could  reach  Presquo  Isle,  now  Erie, 
where  the  other  vessels  to  compose  his  squadron  had 
been  built,  lie,  however,  reached  this  spacious  har- 
bor just  as  the  English  hove  in  sight.  Having  now 
collected  his  whole  force  he  made  vigorous  prepara- 
tions to  get  to  sea.  By  the  first  of  August  he  was 
ready  to  set  sail,  but  the  enemy  lay  off  the  harbor, 
across  the  mouth  of  which  extended  a  bar,  that  he 
was  afraid  to  cross  under  a  heavy  fire.  To  his  great 
delight,  however,  the  British  fleet  suddenly  disappear- 
ed— Captain  Barclay  not  dreaming  that  his  adversary 
was  ready  to  go  to  sea,  having  gone  to  the  Canada 

shore. 

.1 

Perry  was  at  this  time  a  mere  youth,  of  twenty- 
seven  years  of  age,  but  ardent,  chivalrous,  and  full  of 
energy  and  resource.  From  the  time  he  arrived  on 
the  frontier,  the  winter  previous,  he  had  been  un- 
ceasing in  his  efforts  to  obtain  and  equip  a  fleet. 
Matenals  had  to  be  brought  from  Pittsburgh  and 
Philadelphia,  dragged  hundreds  of  miles  over  bad 
roads  and  across  unbridged  streams.  But  after 
his  vessels  were  ready  for  sea,  he  was  destitute 
of  crews.  To  his  repeated  and  urgent  calls  for 
men,  only  promises  were  returned,   nor  did  they 


ND. 

)lack  Rock  into 
was  in  the  pos- 
iletl  by  Captain 
•d  in  oncoiinter- 
0  Isle,  now  Eric, 
lis  squadron  had 
;hia  spacious  har- 
t.    Having  now 
igorous  prcpara- 
:  August  ho  was 
y  off  the  harbor, 
ed  a  bar,  that  he 
ire.    To  his  great 
ddenly  disappear- 
that  his  adversary 
e  to  the  Canada 

outh,  of  twenty- 
|alrou8,andfullof 
[me  he  arrived  on 
lie  had  been  un- 
id  equip  a  fleet. 
Pittsburgh  and 
If  miles  over  bad 
ams.      But  after 
|he  was  destitute 
urgent  calls  for 
)d,  nor  did  they 


I'KURY    PUTS  TO  SUA. 


278 


arrive  till  tlie  English  had  been  able  to  linish  and 
equip  a  largo  vessel,  the  Detroit,  which  gave  them  a 
decided  preponderance.    Perry  was  exceedingly  anx- 
ious to  attack  the  hostile  fleet  before  it  received  this 
accession  of  strength,  but  prevented  from  doing  this 
through  want  of  men,  ho  was  at  last  compelled  to 
abandon  all  his  efforts,  or  t      '  his  chanco  with  his 
motley, untrained  crew,  in  an  iction  where  the  supe- 
riority was  manifest.    He  boldly  resolved  on  the 
latter  course,  and  taking  advantage  of  Barclay's  sud- 
den departure,  gave  orders  for  the  men  to  repair  im- 
mediately on  board  ship,  and  dropped  with  eight  of  his 
squadron  down  the  harbor  to  the  bar.   It  was  Sabbath 
morning,  and  young  Perry,  impressed  with  the  great 
issues  to  himself  and  his  country  from  the  step  he 
was  about  to  take,  sent  his  boat  ashore  for  a  clergy- 
man, requesting  him  to  hold  religious  services  on 
board  his  ship.     All  the  officers  of  the  squadron 
were  assembled  on  the  deck  of  the  Lawrence,  and 
listened  to  an  impressive  address  on  the  duty  they 
owed  their  country.    Prayer  was  then  offered  for 
the  success  of  their  cause.    Young  Perry  reverently 
listening  to  the  voice  of  prayer,  as  he  is  going  forth 
to  habile,  and  young  Macdonough  lifting  his  own  in 
supplication  to  God,  after  his  decks  are  cleared  for 
action,  furnish  striking  and  beautiful  examples  to 
naval  men. 
Next  morning  the  water  being  smooth,  the  guna 
12* 


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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

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274 


BBCX)ND  WAR  WITH  ENOLAIO). 


I  ';' : 


of  the  Lawrence,  the  largest  vessel,  were  taken  ont, 
and  two  scows  placed  alongside  and  filled  till  thej 
sunk  to  the  water's  edge.  Pieces  of  timber  were 
then  run  through  the  forward  and  after  ports  of  the 
vessel,  and  made  fast  by  blocks  to  the  scows.  All 
being  ready,  the  water  was  pumped  out  of  them, 
and  the  vessel  slowly  rose  over  the  bar.  She  stuck 
fast,  however,  on  the  top,  and  the  scows  had  to  be 
sunk  again  before  she  finally  floated  clear  and 
moved  off  into  deep  water.  The  men  worked  all 
night  to  get  this  one  brig  over.  The  schooners 
passed  easily  and  moored  outside.  The  Lawrence 
was  scarcely  once  more  afloat  before  the  returning 
fleet  hove  in  sight.  Perry  immediately  prepared  for 
action.  But  Barclay  after  reconnoitering  for  half  an 
hour  crowded  all  sail  and  disappeared  again  up  the 
lake.*  The  next  day  Perry  sailed  in  pursuit,  but 
after  cruising  a  whole  day  without  finding  the  enemy, 
returned  to  take  in  supplies.  He  was  about 
to  start  again,  when  he  received  information 
of  the  expected  approach  of  a  party  of  seamen  under 
the  command  of  Captain  Elliot.  Waiting  a  day  or 
two  to  receive  this  welcome  aid,  he  set  sail  for  San- 
dusky, to  put  himself  in  communication  with  Gen. 
Harrison  and  the  north-western  army.    He  ther 


*  It  was  said  he  had  accepted  an  invitation  to  dine  in  a  Oana- 
dian  town,  and  expected  to  be  back  before  the  departure  of  his 
enemy. 


ADVANOB  OF  THE  BBTTISH   FLEET. 


975 


:aken  out, 
I  till  they 
nber  were 
jrts  of  the 
sows.    All 
t  of  them, 
She  stuck 
J  had  to  be 
clear  and 
■worked  all 
>  schooners 
)  Lawrence 
le  returning 
prepared  for 
r  for  half  an 
gain  up  the 
)ur8uit,  hut 
the  enemy, 
e  was  about 
information 
amen  under 
ng  a  day  or 
ail  for  San- 
|n  with  Gen. 
He  ther 

dine  in  a  Oana- 
^portore  of  his 


Aug.  M. 


returned  to  Maiden,  where  the  British  fleet 
lay,  and  going  into  Put-in  Bay,  a  haven  in 
its  vicinity,  waited  for  the  enemy  to  come  out  Here 
many  of  his  crew  were  taken  sick  with  fever,  which 
at  last  seized  him,  together  with  tlie  three  surgeons 
of  the  squadron.  He  was  not  able  to  leave  his 
cabin  till  the  early  part  of  September,  when  he 
received  an  additional  reinforcement  of  a  hundred 
volunteers.  These  troops  came  from  Harrison's 
army,  and  were  mostly  Kentucky  militia  and  sol- 
diers from  the  28th  regiment  of  infantry,  and  all 
volunteers  for  the  approaching  battle.  The  Ken- 
tuckians,  most  of  them,  had  never  seen  a  squAre 
rigged  vessel  before,  and  wandered  up  and  down  ex- 
amining every  room  and  part  of  the  ship  without 
scruple.  Dressed  in  their  fringed  linsey-woolsey 
hunting-shirts,  with  their  muskets  in  their  hands, 
they  made  a  novel  marine  corps  as  ever  trod  the  deck 
of  a  battle-ship. 
On  the  morning  of  the  10th  of  September,  it  was 
announced  that  the  British  fleet  was  coming 
out  of  Maiden,  and  Perry  immediately  set 
sail  to  meet  it.  His  squadron  consisted  of  three 
brigs,  the  Lawrence,  Niagara  and  Caledonia,  the 
Trippe,  a  sloop,  and  flve  schooners,  carrying  in  all 
fifty-four  guns.  That  of  the  British  was  composed 
of  six  vessels,  mounting  sixty-three  guns.  It  was  a 
beautiful  morning,  and  the  light  breeze  scarcely  ruf- 


■cpA.10. 


276 


8B00NO   WAR   WITH   ENGLAND. 


fled  the  surface  of  the  water  as  the  two  squadrous, 
with  all  sails  set,  slowly  approached  each  other. 
The  weather-guage,  at  first,  was  with  the  enemy,  but 
Perry  impatient  to  close,  resolved  to  waive  this  ad- 
vantage, and  kept  standing  on,  when  the  wind  unex- 
pectedly shifted  in  his  favor.  Captain  Barclay  ob- 
serving this,  immediately  hove  to,  and  lying  with  his 
topsails  aback,  waited  the  approach  of  his  adversary. 
With  all  his  canvass  out.  Perry  bore  slowly  and 
steadily  down  before  the  wind.  The  breeze  was  so 
light  that  he  could  scarcely  make  two  miles  an  hour. 
The  shore  was  lined  with  spectators,  gazing  on  the 
exciting  spectacle,  and  watching  with  intense  anxiety 
the  movements  of  the  American  squadron.  Not  a 
cloud  dimmed  the  clear  blue  sky  over  head,  and  the 
lake  lay  like  a  mirror,  reflecting  its  beauty  and 
its  purity.     Perry,  in  the  Lawrence,  led  the  line. 

Taking  out  the  flag  which  had  been  previously  pre- 
pared, and  mounting  a  gun-slide,  he  called  the  crew 
about  him,  and  said,  "  My  brave  lads,  this  flag  con- 
tains the  last  words  of  Captain  Lawrence.  Shall  I  hoist 
it  ?"  "  Aye,  aye,  sir,"  was  the  cheerful  response.  Up 
went  the  flag  with  a  will,  and  as  it  swayed  to  the 
breeze  it  was  greeted  with  loud  cheers  from  the  deck. 
As  the  rest  of  the  squadron  beheld  that  flag  floating 
from  the  mainmast  of  their  commander's  vessel,  and 
saw  "  Don't  give  up  the  ship  I"  was  to  be  the  signal 


PREPARATIONS  FOB  BATTLE. 


277 


for  action,  a  long,  lond  cheer  rolled  down  the  line. 
The  excitement  spread  below,  and  all  the  sick  that 
conld  move,  tumbled  up  to  aid  in  the  approaching 
combat.  Perry  then  visited  every  gun,  having  a 
word  of  encouragement  for  each  captain.  Seeing 
some  of  the  gallant  tars  who  had  served  on  board 
the  Constitution,  and  many  of  whom  now  stood  with 
handkerchiefs  tied  round  their  heads,  all  cleared 
for  action,  he  said,."  Well,  boys,  are  you  ready  I" 
^*  All  ready,  your  honor,"  was  the  quick  response. 
"  I  need  not  say  anything  to  you.  You  know  how 
to  beat  those  fellows,"  he  added  smilingly,  as  he 
passed  on. 

The  wind  was  so  light  that  it  took  an  hour  and  a 
half,  after  all  the  preparations  had  been  made,  to 
reach  the  hostile  squadron.  This  long  interval  of 
idleness  and  suspense  was  harder  to  bear  than  the 
battle  itself.  Every  man  stood  silently  watching  the 
enemy's  vessels,  or  in  low  and  earnest  tones  conversed 
with  each  other,  leaving  requests  and  messages  to 
friends  in  case  they  fell.  Perry  gave  his  last  direc- 
tion, in  the  event  of  his  death,  to  Hambleton — ^tied 
weights  to:  bis  public  papers  in  order  to  have  them 
r^ady  to  cast  overboard  if  he  should  be  defeated— 
reiid  over  his  wife's  letters  for  the  last  time,  and  then 
tore  them  up,  so  that  the  enemy  should  not  see  those 
records  of  the  heart,  and  turned  away,  remarking, 
"  This  ia  the  most  imjportant  day  of  my  lifeJ*^    The 


278 


8B00ND  WAB  WITH  ENGLAZID. 


deep  serionsness  and  silence  that  had  fallen  on  the 
ship,  was  at  last  broken  by  the  blast  of  a  bugle  that 
came  ringing  over  the  water  from  the  Detroit, 
followed  by  cheers  from  the  whole  British  squadron. 
A  single  gun,  whose  shot  went  skipping  past  the 
Lawrence,  first  uttered  its  stem  challenge,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  all  the  long  guns  of  the  enemy  began  to 
play  on  the  American  fleet.  Being  a  mile  and  a 
half  distant.  Ferry  could  not  use  his  carronades,  and 
he  was  exposed  to  this  fire  for  a  half  an  hour  before 
he  could  get  within  range.  Steering  straight  for  the 
Detroit,  a  vessel  a  fourth  larger  than  his  own,  he 
gave  orders  to  have  the  schooners  that  lagged  behind 
close  up  within  half  cable's  length.  Those  orders, 
the  last  he  gave  during  the  battle,  were  passed  by 
trumpet  from  vessel  to  vessel.  The  light  wind 
having  nearly  died  away,  the  Lawrence  suffered 
severely  before  she  could  get  near  enough  to  open 
with  her  carronades  and  she  had  scarcely  taken  her 
position  betbre  the  fire  of  three  vessels  was  directed 
upon  her.  Enveloped  in  fiame  and  smoke.  Perry 
strove  desperately  to  maintain  his  ground  till  the 
rest  of  the  fleet  could  close,  and  for  two  hours 
sustained  without  flinching  this  unequal  contest. 
The  balls  crashed  incessantly  through  the  sides  of  the 
ship,  dismounting  the  guns  and  strewing  the  deck 
with  the  dead,  until  at  length,  with  ^'  every  brace 
and  bow-line  shot  away,"  she  lay  an  unmanageable 


THE  BATTLE. 


279 


I 


wreck  on  the  water.  Bnt  still  through  the  smoke,  as 
it  rent  before  the  heavy  broadsides,  her  colors  were 
seen  flying,  and  still  gleamed  forth  in  the  sunlight 
that  glorious  motto—"  DovCt  give  'wp  the  ship  /" 
Calm  and  rnimoved  at  the  slaughter  around  him  and 
his  own  desperate  position.  Perry  gave  his  orders 
tranquilly,  as  though  executing  a  maneuvre.  Al- 
though in  his  first  battle,  and  unaccustomed  to  scenes 
of  carnage,  his  face  gave  no  token  of  the  emotions 
that  mastered  him.  Advancing  to  assist  a  sailor 
whose  gun  had  got  out  of  order,  he  saw  the  poor 
fellow  struck  from  his  side  by  a  twenty-four  pound 
shot  and  expire  without  a  groan.  His  second  lieu- 
tenant fell  at  his  feet.  Lieutenant  Brooks,  a  gay, 
dashing  officer,  of  extraordinary  personal  beauty, 
while  speaking  cheerfully  to  him,  was  dashed  by  a 
cannon-ball  to  the  other  side  of  the  deck  and 
mangled  in  the  roost  frightful  manner.  His  shrieks 
and  imploring  cries  to  Perry  to  kill  him  and  end  his 
misery,  were  heard  even  above  the  roar  of  the 
guns  in  every  part  of  the  ship.  Tlie  dying  who  strew- 
ed the  deck  would  turn  their  eyes  in  mute  inquiry 
upon  their  youthful  commander,  as  if  to  be  told  they 
had  done  their  duty.  The  living,  as  a  sweeping  shot 
rent  huge  gaps  in  the  ranks  of  their  companions, 
looked  a  moment  into  his  face  to  read  its  expression, 
and  then  stepped  quietly  into  the  places  left  vacant. 
Lieutenant  Yarnall,  with  a  red  handkerchief  tied 


ill' 


I'm 


1  '^Bb 


mil 


280 


8B0OND  WAR  WTTB  ENGLAND. 


ronnd  his  head,  and  another  round  his  neck,  to  staunch 
the  blood  flowing  fron  two  wounds,  his  nose  swelled 
to  a  monstrous  size,  from  a  splinter  having  passed 
through  it,  disfigured  and  covered  with  gore, 
moved  amid  this  terrific  scene  the  very  genius  of 
havoc  and  carnage.  Approaching  Ferrj,  he  told 
him  every  officer  in  his  division  was  killed.  Others 
were  given  him,  but  he  soon  returned  with  the  same 
dismal  tidings.  Perry  then  told  him  he  must  get 
along  by  himself,  as  he  had  no  more  to  furnish  him, 
and  the  gallant  man  went  back  alone  to  his  guns. 
Once  only  did  the  shadow  of  any  emotion  pass  over 
the  countenance  of  this  intrepid  commander.  He 
had  a  brother  on  board,  only  twelve  years  old. 
The  little  fellow  who  had  had  two  balls  pass  through 
his  hat,  and  been  struck  with  splinters,  was  still 
standing  by  the  side  of  his  brother,  stunned  by 
the  awful  cannonading  and  carnage  around  him, 
when  he  suddenly  fell.  For  a  moment  Perry 
thought  he  too  was  gone,  but  he  had  only  been 
knocked  down  by  a  hammock,  which  a  cannon  ball 
had  burled  against  him. 

At  length  every  gun  was  dismounted  but  one, 
still  Perry  fought  with  that  till  at  last  it  also  was 
knocked  from  the  carriage.  Out  of  the  one  hundred 
men  with  whom  a  few  hours  before  he  had  gone  into 
battle,  only  eighteen  stood  up  unwounded.  Looking 
through  the  smoke  he  saw  the  Niagara,  apparently 


,  to  staunch 
we  swelled 
ring  passed 
with  gore, 
r  genius  of 
J,  he  told 
>d.  Others 
th  the  same 
B  must  get 
amish  him, 
D  his  guns. 
a.  pass  over 
ander.  He 
years  old. 
tass  through 
s,  was  still 
stunned  by 
round  him, 
aent  Perry 
.  only  been 
cannon  ball 

)d  but  one, 
it  also  was 
)ne  hundred 
Eld  gone  into 
i.  Looking 
,  apparently 


I,? 


<m' 


I 


PEKRY   PASSES  TO  TIIK  NIAGARA. 


281 


I 


I 


S 

H 

u 

< 

z 

0 

H 

P 


uncrippled,  drifting  out  of  the  battle.  Leaping  into  a 
boat  with  his  young  brother,  he  said  to  his  remaining 
oflBcer,  **  If  a  victory  is  to  be  gained,  I  will  gain  it," 
and  standing  erect,  told  the  sailors  to  give  way  with 
a  will.  The  enemy  observed  the  movement,  and 
immediately  directed  their  fire  upon  the  boat.  Oars 
were  splintered  in  the  rowers'  hands  by  musket  balls, 
and  the  men  themselves  covered  with  spray  from  the 
round  shot  and  grape,  that  smote  the  water  on  every 
side.  Passing  swiftly  through  the  iron  storm  he 
reached  the  Niagara  in  safety,  and  as  the  survivors 
of  the  Lawrence  saw  him  go  up  the  vessel's  side, 
they  gave  a  hearty  cheer.  Finding  her  sound  and 
whole.  Ferry  backed  his  maintop  sail,  and  flung  out 
his  signal  for  close  action.  From  vessel  to  vessel 
the  answering  signals  went  up  in  the  sunlight,  and  three 
cheers  rang  over  the  water.  He  then  gave  his  sails 
to  the  wind  and  bore  steadily  down  on  the  centre  of 
the  enemy's  line.  Beserving  his  Are  as  be  advanced,  he 
passed  alone  through  the  hostile  fleet,  within  close  pis- 
tol range,  wrapt  in  flame  as  he  swept  on.  Delivering 
his  broadsides  right  and  left,  he  spread  horror  and  death 
through  the  decks  of  the  Detroit  and  Lady  Prevost. 
Bounding  to  as  he  passed  the  line,  he  laid  his  vessel 
close  to  two  of  the  enemy's  ships,  and  poured  in  his 
rapid  fire.  The  shrieks  that  rung  out  from  the  Dct 
troit  were  heard  even  above  the  deafening  cannon- 
ade, while  the  crew  of  the  Lady  Prevost,  unable 


III 
I'll 

111 

m 

•  ,11! 


iiinlif 


282 


BEOOm)  WAR  WITH  ENGLAIO). 


to  Btand  the  fire,  ran  below,  leaving  their  wonnded, 
stunned,  and  bewildered  commander  alone  on  deck, 
leaning  bis  face  on  his  band,  and  gazing  vacantly  on 
tbe  passing  sbip.  The  other  American  vessels  having 
come  up,  the  action  at  once  became  general.  To  the 
spectators  from  the  shore  the  scene  at  this  moment 
was  indescribably  thrilling.  Far  out  on  the  calm 
water  lay  a  white  cloud,  from  out  whose  tortured 
bosom  broke  incessant  flashes  and  thunder  claps — 
the  loud  echoes  rolling  heavily  away  over  the  deep, 
and  dying  amid  the  silence  and  solitude  of  the 
forest. 

An  action  so  close  and  murderous  could  not  last 
long,  and  it  was  soon  apparent  that  victory  inclined 
to  the  Americans,  for  while  the  enemy's  fire  sensibly 
slackened,  the  signal  for  close  action  was  still  flying 
from  the  Niagara,  and  from  every  American  vessel 
the  answering  signal  floated  proudly  in  the  wind. 
In  flfteen  minutes  from  the  time  the  flrst  signal  was 
made  the  battle  was  over.  A  white  handkerchief 
waved  from  the  taffrail  of  the  Queen  Charlotte  an- 
nounced the  surrender.  The  firing  ceased ;  tbe 
smoke  slowly  cleared  away,  revealing  the  two  fleets 
commingled,  shattered,  and  torn,  and  strewed  with 
dead.  The  loss  on  each  side  was  a  hundred  and 
tjiirty-five  killed  and  wounded. 

Perry  having  secured  the  prisoners,  returned  to  tbe 
Lawrence,  lying  a  wreck  in  tbe  distance,  whither  she 


THB  VIOTOBT. 


S88 


'  wounded, 
le  on  deck, 
racantly  on 
aels  having 
ftl.    To  the 
iifl  moment 
i  the  calm 
ise  tortured 
der  claps— 
ir  the  deep, 
ude  of  the 

mid  not  last 
tory  inclined 
fire  sensibly 
18  still  flying 
erican  vessel 
n  the  wind. 
b  signal  was 
landkerchief 
Dharlotte  an- 
ceased ;   the 
]e  two  fleets 
itrewed  with 
hundred  and 

turned  to  the 
,  whither  she 


had  helplessly  drifted.  She  had  struck  her  flag 
botbre  he  closed  with  the  Niagara,  but  it  was  now 
flyiiig  again.  Not  a  word  was  spoken  as  he  went 
over  the  vessel's  side ;  a  silent  grasp  of  the  hand  was 
the  only  sign  of  recognition,  for  the  deck  around 
was  covered  with  dismembered  limbs,  and  brains, 
while  the  bodies  of  twenty  officers  and  men  lay  in 
ghastly  groups  before  him. 

As  the  sun  went  down  over  the  still  lake  his  last 
beams  looked  on  a  mournful  spectacle.  Those  ships 
stripped  of  their  spars  and  canvass,  looked  as  if  they 
had  been  swept  by  a  hurricane,  while  desolation 
covered  their  decks.  At  twilight  the  seamen  who 
bad  fallen  on  board  the  American  fleet  were  com- 
mitted to  the  deep,  and  the  solemn  burial  service  of 
the  £piscopal  Church  read  over  them. 

The  uproar  of  the  day  had  ceased  and  deep  silence 
rested  on  the  two  squadrons,  riding  quietly  at  anchor, 
broken  only  by  the  stifled  groans  of  the  wounded, 
that  were  echoed  from  ship  to  ship.  As  Perry  sat 
that  night  on  the  quarter-deck  of  the  Lawrence,  con- 
versing with  his  few  remaining  officers,  while  ever 
and  '^'lon  the  moans  of  his  brave  comrades  below 
were  borne  to  his  ear,  he  was  solemn  and  subdued. 
The  exciting  scene  through  which  he  had  safely 
passed — the  heavy  load  taken  from  his  heart — the 
reflection  that  his  own  life  had  been  spared,  and  the 
consciousness  that  his  little  brother  was  slumbering 


iidn 


284 


SECOND  WAB  WITH  ENGLAND. 


sweetly  and  unhurt  in  his  hammock  beside  him, 
awakened  emotions  of  gratitude  to  God,  and  he 
gravely  remarked,  "  I  believe  that  my  wife's  prayers 
have  saved  me."* 

It  had  been  a  proud  day  for  him,  and  as  he  lay 
that  night  and  thought  what  a  change  a  few  hours 
had  wrought  in  his  fortunes,  feelings  of  exultation 
might  well  swell  his  bosom.  Such  unshaken  compo- 
sure— such  gallant  bearing — stern  resolution,  and 
steadiness  and  tenacity  of  purpose  in  a  young  man 
of  twenty-seven,  in  his  first  battle,  exhibit  a  mar- 
vellous strength  of  character,  and  one  wonders  more 
at  him  than  his  success. 

It  was  a  great  victory,  and  as  the  news  spread, 
bonfires,  illuminations,  the  firing  of  cannon  and 
shouts  of  excited  multitudes  announced  the  joy  and 
exultation  of  the  nation.  The  gallant  bearing  of 
Perry — ^his  daring  passage  in  an  open  boat  through 
the  enemy's  fire  to  the  Niagara — the  motto  on  his 
flag— the  manner  in  which  he  carried  his  vessel 
alone  through  the  enemy's  line,  and  then  closed  in 
half  piste  ^  shot — ^his  laconic  accoimt  of  the  victory 
in  a  letter  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  "  We  have 

MET  THE  ENEMY  AND  THEY  ARE  OURS" — ^fumished  Cud- 

less  themes  for  discussion  and  eulogy,  and  he  sud- 
denly found  himself  in  the  front  rank  of  heroes. 

*  See  Makenzie's  Life  of  Perry. 


THE  FUNERAL. 


285 


The  day  after  the  battle  the  funeral  of  the  oflScers 
of  the  two  fleets  took  place.  A  little  opening  on 
the  margin  of  the  bay,  a  wild  and  solitary  spot, 
was  selected  as  the  place  of  interment.  It  was  a 
beautiful  autumn  day,  not  a  breath  of  air  ruffled  the 
surface  of  the  lake  or  moved  the  still  forest  that 
fringed  that  lonely  clearing.  The  sun  shone  brightly 
down  on  the  new-made  graves,  and  not  a  sound 
disturbed  the  sabbath  stillness  that  rested  on  forest 
and  lake.  The  fallen  officers,  each  in  his  appropri- 
ate uniform,  were  laid  on  platforms  made  to  receive 
them,  and  placed  with  their  hands  across  their 
breasts,  in  the  barges.  As  these  were  rowed  gently 
away  the  boats  fell  in  behind  in  long  procession, 
and  the  whole  swept  slowly  and  sadly  towards  the 
place  of  burial.  The  flags  drooped  mournfully  in 
the  still  air,  the  dirge  to  which  the  oars  kept  time 
rose  and  fell  in  solemn  strains  over  the  water,  while 
minute  guns  from  the  various  vessels  blended  their 
impressive  harmony  with  the  scene.  The  day 
before  had  been  one  of  strife  and  carnage,  but  those 
who  had  closed  in  mortal  hate,  now  mourned  like  a 
band  of  brothers  for  their  fallen  leaders,  and  gather- 
ing together  around  the  place  of  burial,  gazed  a  last 
farewell,  and  firing  one  volley  over  the  nameless 
graves,  turned  sadly  away.  There,  in  that  wild 
spot,  with  the  sullen  waves  to  sing  their  perpetual 
dirge,  they  slept  the  sleep  of  the  brave.    They  had 


5. 
11 


286 


SEOOND  WAB  WTTH  ENGLAND. 


fought  gallantly,  and  it  mattered  not  to  them  the 
victory  or  defeat,  for  they  had  gone  to  that  still  land 
where  human  strifes  are  forgotten,  and  the  clangor 
of  battle  never  comes. 

This  impressive  scene  occurred  off  the  shore  where 
the  massacre  of  Kaisin  was  committed,  and  what  a 
striking  contrast  does  it  present  to  the  day  that  sue 
ceeded  the  victory  of  Proctor.  By  his  noble  and 
generous  conduct  Perry  won  the  esteem  and  love  of 
his  enemies,  while  Proctor  by  his  unfeeling  neglect 
and  barbarity  received  the  curse  of  all  honorable 
men.  The  name  of  one  is  linked  to  the  spot 
where  he  conquered,  i^ith  blessings;  that  of  the 
other  with  everlasting  infamy  and  disgrace. 

Harrison,  after  this  victory,  collected  his  army  of 
seven  thousand  men,  and  concentrated  them  at  Put- 
in Bay.  Perry's  fleet  rode  triumphant  on  the  lake, 
and  he  offered  its  service  to  Harrison.  The  latter 
ordered  the  regiment  of  horse,  one  thousand  strong, 
to  proceed  by  land  to  Detroit,  while  the  rest  of  the 
army  was  embarked  on  board  the  vessels  and 
*  set  sail  for  Maiden.  Proctor  commanded  at 
the  latter  place,  and  hearing  of  Barclay's  defeat 
and  Harrison's  advance,  was  seized  with  alarm,  and 
dismantling  and  blowing  up  the  fort,  and  setting  on 
fire  the  navy  yard,  barracks  and  store  houses,  and 
taking  with  him  all  the  horses  and  cattle,  fled 
towards  the  Thames.    The  Americans  followed  in 


FLIGHT  OF  PBOOTOR. 


287 


Bwift  and  eager  pursuit.  Governor  Shelby,  of  Ken- 
tucky, though  sixty-two  years  of  age,  was  there  with 
his  brave  Kentuckians,  a  volunteer,  shaking  his 
white  locks  with  the  merriest.  Perry  and  Cass  also 
accompanied  the  army,  sharing  in  the  animation 
and  eagerness  of  the  men.  Sending  a  detachment 
across  the  river  to  drive  out  the  hostile  Indians  from 
Detroit,  Harrison,  on  the  30th,  saw  with  relief  the 
mounted  column  of  Colonel  Johnson  winding  along, 
the  opposite  bank,  announcing  its  approach  with  the 
stirring  notes  of  the  bugle.  Besting  one  day  to 
complete  his  preparations,  he,  on  the  2d  of  October, 
resumed  the  pursuit,  and  soon,  abandoned  guns  and 
shells,  destroyed  bridges,  and  houses  and  vessels  on 
fire,  revealed  the  haste  and  rage  of  the  enemy. 
Proctor,  after  reaching  the  Thames,  kept  up  the 
river,  with  the  intention  of  striking  the  British  posts 
near  the  head  of  Lake  Ontario.  But  Harrison  press- 
ed him  so  closely,  it  soon  became  evident  that  a 
battle  could  not  be  avoided.  On  the  6th,  Colonel 
Johnson,  with  his  mounted  Kentuckians,  marching 
two  or  three  miles  in  advance,  came  upon  the 
retreating  army  drawn  up  in  order  of  battle,  on  the 
bank  of  the  Thames  near  the  Moravian  settlement. 
Proctor  had  taken  an  admirable  position  upon  a  dry 
strip  of  land,  flanked  by  the  river  on  the  left  and  a 
swamp  on  the  right.  Here  he  placed  his  regulars, 
eight  hundred  strong,  while  Tecumseh  with  his  two 


;'il!  MaHii'i 


Ilj,; 


288 


SECOND  WAR  WITH   ENGLAND. 


thousand  Indian  allies  occupied  the  eastern  margin 
of  the  swamp.     Harrison,  with  his  troops  jaded  out, 

encamped  that  night  in  front  of  the  enemy. 
'  After  dark  Proctor  and  Tecumseh  reconnoitred 
together  the  American  camp,  when  the  latter  ad- 
vised a  night  attack.  This,  Proctor  objected  to,  and 
strongly  urged  a  retreat.  The  haughty  savage 
spurned  the  proposition,  and  in  the  morning  the 
.British  general  finding  he  could  not  escape  an 
engagement,  resolved  to  give  battle  where  he  was. 
Tliinking  only  of  retreat  he  had  neglected  to  erect  a 
breastrwork  or  cut  a  ditch  in  front  of  his  position, 
which  would  have  effectually  prevented  a  cavalry 
attack.  To  ensure  the  complete  success  of  this 
blunder,  he  formed  his  troops  in  open  order,  thus 
provoking  a  charge  of  horse.    Colonel  Johnson,  at 

his  earnest  request,  was  allowed  to  open  the 

Oct.  5, 

battle  with  his  thousand  mounted  riflemen. 
But  just  as  he  was  about  to  order  the  charge,  he 
discovered  that  the  ground  was  too  cramped  to 
admit  of  a  rapid  and  orderly  movement  of  the 
entire  force,  and  he  therefore  divided  it  into  two 
columns,  and  putting  his  brother.  Lieutenant  Colonel 
James  Johnson,  at  the  head  of  the  one  that  was  to 
advance  on  the  British,  he  led  the  other  against  the 
Indians.  These  two  battalions  moved  slowly  for- 
ward for  a  short  time  parallel  to  each  other,  the 
infantry  following.    The  column  advancing  on  the 


JOHNSON  S  CHARGE. 


289 


British  was  checked  at  the  first  fire — the  horses  at 

the  head  of  it  recoiling.    Their  riders,  however, 

quickly  recovered  them,  and   sending  the   rowela 

home,  plunged  with   a  yell  of  frenzy  full  on  the 

British  line.    A  few  saddles  were  emptied,  but 

nothing  could  stop  that  astonishing  charge.    Those 

fiery  horsemen  swept  like  a  whirlwind  through  the 

panic-stricken  ranks,  and  then  wheeling,  delivered 

their  fire.    Nearly  five  hundred  rifles  cracked  at 

once,   strewing  the  ground  with   men.     It  was  a 

single  blow,  and  the  battle  was  over  in  that  part  of 

the  field.     Scarcely  a  minute  had  elapsed,   and 

almost  the  entire  British  force  was  begging  for 

quarter.    A  charge  of  cavalry  with  rifles  only,  was 

probably  a  new  thing  to  those  soldiers.     Proctor, 

with  forty  men  and  some  mounted  Indians,  fled  at 

the  first  onset.     His  carriage,  private  papers,  even 

his  sword,  were  left  behind,  and  goaded  by  terror  he 

was  soon  lost  in  the  distance.     He  remembered  the 

massacre  at  Kaisin,  and  knew  if  those  enraged  Ken- 

tuckians,  whose  brothers,  fathers  and  sons  he  had 

given  up  to  the  savage,  once  laid  hands  on  him  they 

would  grant  him  short  shrift.     Cruelty  and  cowardice 

are  often  joined  together. 

The  other  battalion  not  finding  firm  footing  for 

the  horses  could  not  charge,  and  Johnson  seeing 

that  his  men  were  being  rapidly  picked  ofl',  ordered 

them  to  dismount  and  take  to  the  cover.    Tecumseh 
13 


!l 


^90 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


led  his  men  gallantly  forward,  and  for  a  few 
minutes  the  conflict  was  sharp  and  bloody.  Johnson 
was  wounded  in  three  places,  yet  stubbornly  main- 
tained his  ground.  At  length  Tecumseh  fell,  when 
the  savages  with  a  loud  whoop,  the  "  death  halloo" 
of  their  leader,  turned  and  fled.  The  death  of  this 
remarkable  chieftain  was  worth  more  than  a  whole 
hostile  tribe  destroyed,  and  broke  up  forever  the 
grand  alliance  of  the  Indians  with  the  British. 
Not  more  than  twenty-five  hundred  American  troops 
mingled  in  the  battle  at  all ;  of  these  but  fifty  were 
killed  and  wounded.  Among  the  latter  was  Colonel 
Johnson,  who  was  borne  from  the  field  in  a  blanket, 
with  the  blood  running  out  at  either  end.  Six  hun- 
dred prisoners  were  taken,  a  large  quantity  of  stores, 
ammunition,  etc.,  and  six  pieces  of  artillery,  among 
which  were  three  captured  from  the  British  during 
the  Revolution,  and  surrendered  by  General  Hull  at 
Detroit.  The  news  of  this  important  victory  coming 
so  quick  on  that  of  Perry's,  filled  the  nation  with 
increased  confidence,  and  placed  a  cheerful  counte- 
nance once  more  on  the  war  party.  The  cloud  that 
had  hung  so  darkly  over  the  land  seemed  lifting, 
and  if  Ghauncey  on  Lake  Ontario,  and  Wilkinson 
on  the  St.  Lawrence,  would  give  equally  good 
accounts  of  themselves,  the  season  would  close  with 
Canada  within  our  grasp. 


il 


OHAPTEB  Xm. 

WilkinBon  Ukos  oommand  of  tbe  northern  army— Plan  of  the  campaign— 'Hamp- 
ton entraated  with  the  6th  military  district  and  takea  poaltioa  at  Plattaborg— 
Quarrel  between  the  two  Oenerals— Hampton  advance^  ogainst  ordera,  Into  Can* 
ada;  is  defeated — Concentration  of  Willcinson's  army— Mores  down  the  St.  Law- 
renue— Its  picturesque  aspect— Harassed  by  the  enemy— Battle  of  Cbrystleria 
field— Hampton  reftases  to  Join  him— The  expedition  abandoned  and  the  armies 
retlra  to  winter  quarters— Disappointment  and  indignation  of  the  war  party,  and 
gratification  of  the  Federalists— Abandonment  of  Fort  George  and  burning  of 
Newark— Loss  of  Fort  Niagara  and  burning  of  Buffalo  and  the  settlement!  along 
the  river— Betaliatlon— Gloomy  close  of  the  campaiga 

While  Perry  and  Harrison  were  thus  reclaiming 
our  lost  ground  on  Lake  Erie  and  in  the  north- 
west, Armstrong  was  preparing  to  carry  out 
his  favorite  plan  of  a  descent  on  Kingston  and  Mon- 
treal. When  he  accepted  the  post  of  Secretary  of 
War,  he  transferred  his  department  from  Washing- 
ton to  Sackett's  Harbor,  so  that  he  might  superin- 
tend in  person  the  progress  of  the  campaign.  In 
April  previous,  the  United  States  had  been  divided 
into  nine  military  districts,  that  portion  of  New  York 
State  north  of  the  Highlands  and  Vermont,  consti- 
tuting the  ninth.*    Although  Wilkinson  had  super- 

*  Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire  constituted  the  first ;  Bhodo 


1813. 


292 


8E0OND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


eeded  Dearborn,  as  commander-in-chief  of  this  dis- 
trict in  July,  he  did  not  issue  his  first  orders  to  the 
army  till  the  23d  of  August.    Three  days  after  a 
council  of  war  was  held  at  Sackett's  Harbor,  in 
which  it  was  estimated  that  by  the  20th  of  Septem- 
ber the  army  would  consist  of  nine  thousand  men, 
exclusive  of  militia.    The  garrisons  at  Forts  George, 
Niagara,  Oswego  and  Burlington,  were  therefore 
ordered   to  rendezvous  at  Grenadier  Island,  near 
Sackett's  Harbor.    General  Wade  Hampton,  who 
had  been  recalled  from  the  fifth  military  district  to 
the  northern  frontier,  encamped  with  his  army,  four 
thousand  strong,  at  Plattsburg,  on  Lake  Ghamplain. 
The  plan  finally  adopted  by  the  Secretary  was,  to  have 
Wilkinson  drop  down  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  without 
stopping  to  attack  the  English  posts  on  the  river,  form 
a  junction  with  General  Hampton,  when  the  two 
armies  should  march  at  once  on  Montreal.    These  two 
Generals  were  both  Revolutionary  officers,  and  con- 
sequently too  advanced  in  years  to  carry  such  an 

Island  and  Connecticat  the  second ;  New  York,  south  of  the 
Highlands,  and  a  part  of  New  Jersey,  the  third ;  the  remaining 
section  of  New  Jersey,  with  Pennsylvania  and  Delaware,  the 
fourth  ;  Virginia,  south  of  the  Rappahannock,  the  fifth ;  Georgh 
and  the  two  Carolinas,  the  sixth ;  Louisiana,  Mississippi  and  Ten- 
nessee, the  seventh;  Kentucky,  Ohio,  Indiana,  Michigan,  Illi> 
nois  and  Missouri,  the  eighth.  A  tenth  was  erected  during  the 
summer,  including  Maryland,  the  District  of  Columbia,  and  that 
portion  of  Virginia  lying  between  the  Potomac  and  Bappahan- 
nock  rivers. 


"WaXJNBOJX  AND  HAMPTON. 


293 


8«pt.  98. 


expedition  through  with  vigor  and  activity.  Be- 
sides, a  hostile  feeling  separated  them,  rendering 
each  jealous  of  the  other's  command,  which  threat- 
ened to  work  the  most  serious  mischief.  Armstrong, 
however,  being  the  friend  of  both,  thought  by  act- 
ing himself  as  comman,der-in-chief,  he  could  recon- 
cile their  differences,  sufficiently  to  insure  harmony 
of  action.  Chauncey,  in  the  mean  time,  after  an  ac- 
tion with  Yeo,  in  which  both  parties  claimed  tho 
victory,  forced  his  adversary  to  take  refuge 
in  Burlington  Bay.  He  then  wrote  to  Wil- 
kinson that  the  lake  was  clear  of  the  enemy,  and 
reported  himself  ready  to  transport  the  troops  down 
the  St.  Lawrence. 

The  greatest  expectations  were  formed  of  this  ex- 
pedition. The  people  knew  nothing  of  the  quarrel 
between  Wilkinson  and  Hampton,  and  thought  only 
of  the  strength  of  their  united  force.  The  victories 
of  Perry  and  Harrison  had  restored  confidence — the 
tide  of  misfortune  had  turned,  and  when  the  junction 
of  the  two  armies  should  take  place,  making  in  all 
nearly  twelve  thousand  men,  the  fate  of  Canada,  they 
fondly  believed,  would  be  sealed.  No  large  British 
force  was  concentrated  on  the  frontier,  while  a  garri- 
son of  but  six  hundred  held  Montreal.  The  press, 
deeming  Canada  already  won,  had  begun  to  defend 
its  conquest.  The  question  was  no  longer,  /low  to 
take  it,  but  to  reconcile  the  nation  to  its  possession. 


294 


BBOOND  WAB  WITH   ENGLAND. 


I 


B«pt.  10. 


While  "Wilkinson  was  preparing  to  fulfill  his  part  of 
the  campaign,  Hampton  made  a  bold  push  into  Canada 
on  his  own  responsibility.  Advancing  from 
*  Plattsburg,  he  marched  directly  for  St.  John, 
but  finding  water  scarce  for  his  draft  cattle,  owing 
to  a  severe  drought,  he  moved  to  the  left,  and  next 
day  arrived  at  Chateaugay  Four  Corners,  a  few  miles 
from  the  Canada  line.  Here  he  was  overtaken  by 
an  order  from  Armstrong,  commanding  him  to 
remain  where  was,  until  the  arrival  of  Wilkinson. 
But  jealous  of  his  rival,  and  wishing  to  achieve  a 
victory  in  which  the  honor  would  not  be  divided,  he 
resolved  to  take  upon  himself  the  responsibility  of 
advancing  alone.  Several  detachments  of  militia 
had  augmented  his  force  of  four  thousand,  and  he 
deemed  himself  sufficiently  strong  to  attack  Prevost, 
who  he  was  told  had  only  about  two  thousand  ill 
assorted  troops  under  him.  He  therefore  gave 
orders  to  march,  and  cutting  a  road  for  twenty- 
four  miles  through  the  wilderness,  after  five  days 
great  toil,  reached  the  British  position.  Ignorant 
of  its  weakness,  he  dispatched  Colonel  Purdy  at 
night  by  a  circuitous  route  to  gain  the  enemy's  flank 
and  rear  and  assail  his  works,  w^hile  he  attacked  them 
in  front.  Bewildered  by  the  darkness,  and  led  astray 
by  his  guide.  Colonel  Purdy  wandered  through  the 
forest,  entirely  ignorant  of  the  whereabouts  of  the 
enemy  or  of  his  own.    General  Hampton,  however, 


Oct.ai. 


hamfton'b  defeat. 


295 


snppoHing  that  ho  had  succeeclod  in  his  attempt, 
ordered  General  Izard  to  advance  with  the  main 
body  of  the  army,  and  as  soon  as  firing  was  heard  in 
the  rear  to  commence  tlie  attack  in  front.  Izard 
marched  up  his  men  and  a  skirmish  ensued,  wlien 
Colonel  De  Salaberry,  the  British  commander,  who 
had  but  a  handful  of  regulars  under  him,  ordered 
the  bugles,  which  had  been  placed  at  some  distance 
apart  on  purpose  to  represent  a  large  force,  to  sound 
the  charge.  The  ruse  succeeded  admirably,  and  a 
halt  was  ordered.  The  bugles  brought  up  the  lost 
detachment  of  Purdy,  but  suddenly  assailed  by  a 
concealed  body  of  militia,  his  command  was  thrown 
into  disorder  and  broke  and  fled.  Disconcerted  by 
the  defeat  of  Furdy,  Hampton  ordered  a  retreat, 
without  making  any  attempt  to  carry  the  British 
intrenchments.  A  few  hundred  Canadian  militia, 
with  a  handful  of  regulars,  stopped  this  army  of 
more  than  four  thousand  men  with  ten  pieces  of 
artillery,  so  that  it  was  forced,  with  a  loss  of  but 
thirty  men  killed,  wounded  and  missing,  to  retreat 
twenty-four  miles  along  the  road  it  had  cut  with  so 
much  labor  through  the  forest.  Hampton,  defeated 
by  the  blasts  of  a  few  bugles,  took  up  his  position 
again  at  the  Four  Comers,  to  wait  further  news  from 
"Wilkinson's  division. 

The  latter  having  concentrated  his  troops  at  Grena- 
dier Island,  embarked  them  again  the  same  day  that 


I 


296 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAIO). 


Hampton  advanced,  againat  orders,  towards  Mon- 
treal. Three  hundred  boats  covering  the  river  for 
miles,  carried  the  infantry  and  artillery,  while  the 
cavalry,  five  hundred  strung,  marched  along  the 
bank.  Beaten  about  by  storms,  drenched  with  rain, 
stranded  on  deceitful  shoals,  this  grand  fleet  of 
batteaux  crept  so  slowly  towards  the  entrance  of  the 
St.  Lawrence,  that  the  army,  dispirited  and  disgusted, 
railed  on  its  commander  and  the  government  alike. 
They  were  two  weeks  in  reaching  the  river.  Wilkin- 
son, who  had  been  recalled  from  New  Orleans,  to 
take  charge  of  this  expedition,  was  prostrated  by  the 
lake  fever,  which,  added  to  the  infirmities  of  age, 
rendered  him  wholly  unfit  for  the  position  he  oc- 
cupied. General  Lewis,  his  second  in  command,  was 
also  sick.  The  season  was  already  far  advanced — 
the  autumnal  storms  had  set  in  earlier  than  usual — 
everything  conspired  to  ensure  defeat ;  and  around 
this  wreck  of  a  commander,  tossed  an  army,  dis- 
pirited, disgusted,  and  doomed  to  disgrace.  General 
Brown  led  the  advance  of  this  army  of  invasion,  as 
it  started  for  Montreal,  a  hundred  and  eighty  miles 
distant.  Approaching  French  Creek,  eighteen  miles 
below  Grenadier  Island,  it  was  attacked  by  a  fleet  of 
boats  from  Kingston,  but  repulsed  them  with  little 
loss.  The  news  of  the  invasion,  however,  spreading, 
the  British  detachment  at  Kingston,  reinforced  by 
the  militia,  followed  the  descending  flotilla,  harass- 


rards  Mon- 

0  river  for 
,  while  the 

along  the 

1  with  rain, 
[id  fleet  of 
ince  of  the 
d  disgusted, 
ment  alike, 
r.  Wilkin- 
Orleans,  to 
ated  by  the 
ties  of  age, 
tion  he  oc- 
imand,  was 
advanced — 
tan  usual — 
and  around 

army,  dis- 
General 
nvasion,  as 
ighty  miles 
iteen  miles 
y  a  fleet  of 
with  little 
spreading, 
nforced  by 
11a,  harass- 


). 


i 


■' 


-4.0-' 


■#. 


^\ 


\ 


Wilkinson's  flotilla. 


297 


ing  it  whenever  an  opportunity  occurred.  To  a  be- 
holder the  force  seemed  adequate  to  secure  the  object 
contemplated,  for  the  spectacle  it  presented  was 
grand  and  imposing.  As  the  head  of  that  vast  fleet 
came  winding  around  the  bend  of  the  stream  and 
swept  out  of  view  below,  the  long  procession  of  boats 
that  streamed  after  seemed  to  be  endless.  Scattered 
in  picturesque  groups  amid  the  Thousand  Isles, 
or  assailed  with  artillery  from  British  forts — now 
swallowed  up  in  the  silent  forest  that  clothed  the 
banks,  and  again  slowly  drifting  past  the  scattered 
settlements,  or  shooting  the  long  and  dangerous 
rapids,  it  presented  a  strange  and  picturesque  ap- 
pearance. When  it  reached  the  head  of  the  long 
rapids  at  Hamilton,  twenty  miles  below  Ogdens- 
burg,  "Wilkinson  ordered  General  Brown  to  advance' 
by  land  and  cover  the  passage  of  the  boats  through 
the  narrow  defiles,  where  the  enemy  had  estab- 
lished block  houses.  In  the  mean  time  the  cav- 
alry had  crossed  over  to  the  Canadian  side  and  with 
fifteen  hundred  men  under  General  Boyd,  been  de- 
patched  against  the  enemy,  which  was  constantly 
harassing  his  rear. 

General  Boyd,    accompanied    by    Generals 

Swartwoutand  Covington  as  volunteers,  moved 

forward  in  three  columns.     Colonel  Ripley  advancing 

with  the  21  st  Regiment,  drove  the  enemy's  sharp 

shooters  from  the  woods,  and  emerged  on  an  open 
13* 


I 

i 


P 


i'    1\\ 


298 


8£00ND   WAR  WITH   ENGLAND. 


space,  called  Ohrystler's  Field,  and  directly  in  front 
of  two  English  regiments.  Notwithstanding  the  dis- 
parity of  numbers  this  gallant  officer  ordered  a 
charge,  which  was  executed  with  such  firmness  that 
the  two  regiments  retired.  Eallying  and  making  a 
stand,  they  were  again  charged  and  driven  back. 
General  Covington  falling  fiercely  on  the  left  flank, 
where  the  artillery  was  posted,  forced  it  to  recoil.  But 
at  this  critical  moment,  while  bravely  leading  on  his 
men,  he  was  shot  through  the  body.  His  fall  dis- 
concerted the  brigade,  and  a  shower  of  grape  shot  at 
the  same  moment  scourging  it  severely,  it  retired  in  con- 
fusion. This  restored  the  combat,  and  for  more  than 
two  hours  that  open  field  was  the  scene  of  successive 
and  most  gallant  charges.  The  front  of  battle 
wavered  to  and  fro,  and  deeds  of  personal  courage 
and  daring  were  done  that  showed  that  the  troops 
and  younger  officers  ouly  needed  a  proper  com- 
mander, and  they  would  soon  give  a  report  of  them- 
selves which  would  change  the  aspect  of  afi^irs. 

At  length  the  British  retired  to  their  camp  and  the 
Americans  maintained  their  position  on  the  shore, 
so  that  the  flotilla  passed  the  Saut  in  safety.  This 
action  h^  never  received  the  praise  it  deserves — the 
disgraceful  failure  of  the  campaign  having  cast  a 
shadow  upon  it.  The  British,  though  inferior  in 
numbers,  had  greatly  the  advantage  in  having  pos- 
session of  a  stone  house  in  the  midst  of  the  field, 


0HRY8TLEE  8   FIELD. 


299 


from  which,  as  from  a  citadel,  they  could  keep  up  a 
constant  fire,  without  being  injured  in  return.  The 
conflict  was  close  and  murderous,  and  the  American 
troops  gave  there  a  foretaste  of  Chippewa  and 
Lundy's  Lane.  Nearly  one-fifth  of  the  entire  force 
engaged  were  killed  or  wounded  ;  a  mortality  never 
exhibited  in  a  drawn  battle,  without  most  desperate 
fighting.    . 

General  Wilkinson,  who  lay  sick  in  his  boat,  knew 
nothing  of  what  was  transpiring,  except  by  report. 
Brown's  cannon  thundering  amid  the  rapids  below — 
the  dropping  fire  in  the  rear  of  his  flotilla,  and  the 
incessant  crash  of  artillery  and  rattle  of  musketry  in 
the  forest,  blended  their  echoes  around  him,  augment- 
ing the  power  of  disease,  and  increasing  that  nervous 
anxiety,  which  made  him  long  to  be  away  from  such 
turbulent  scenes,  amid  occupations  more  befitting  his 
age  and  infirmities. 

The  army,  however,  still  held  its  course  for  Mon- 
treal. Young  Scott,  who  had  joined  the  expedition 
at  Ogdensburgh,  was  fifteen  miles  a  head,  clearing, 
with  a  detachment  of  less  than  eight  hundred  men, 
the  river  banks  as  he  went.  Montreal  was  known  to 
be  feebly  garrisoned,  and  Wilkinson  had  no  doubt  it 
would  fall  an  easy  conquest.  He  therefore  sent  for- 
ward to  Hampton  to  join  him  at  St.  Regis,  with 
provisions.  Hampton,  in  reply,  said,  that  his  men 
could  bring  no  more  provisions  than  they  wanted  for 


II  >:  I 


300 


SECOND  WAK  WITH   ENGLAND. 


their  own  use,  and  informed  him,  in  short,  that  he 
should  not  co-operate  with  him  at  all,  but  make  the 
best  of  his  way  back  to  Lake  Champlain. 

On  receiving  this  astounding  news,  Wilkinson 
called  a  council  of  war,  which  reprobated  in  strong 
terms  the  conduct  of  Hampton,  and  decided  that  in 
consideration  of  his  failure,  and  the  lateness  of  the 
season,  the  march  should  be  suspended,  and  the 
army  retire  to  winter  quarters.  This  was  carried 
into  effect,  and  Wilkinson  repaired  to  French  Mills, 
on  Salmon  river,  for  tlie  winter,  and  Hampton  to 
Plattsburgh.  Thus,  for  months,  an  army  of  twelve 
thousand  men  had  marched  and  maneuvred  on  the 
Canadian  frontier  without  striking  a  single  blow. 
Confidence  in  the  success  of  this  campaign  had  been 
so  great,  that  its  disgraceful  issue  fell  like  a  sudden 
paralysis  on  the  war  party,  and  on  the  nation  gene- 
rally. Like  Hull's  defeat,  it  was  unredeemed  by  a 
single  glimmer  of  light.  The  mind  had  nothing  to 
rest  upon  for  momentary  relief.  The  failure  was  so 
complete  and  total,  that  the  advocates  of  the  war 
were  struck  dumb,  and  Washington  was  wrapped  in 
gloom.  The  Federalists,  on  the  contrary,  were 
strengthened.  Their  prognostications  had  proved 
true.  The  nation  had  concentrated  its  strength  on 
Canada  for  two  years,  and  yet  been  unable  to  make 
the  least  impression.  A  Boston  paper  that  from  the 
first  had  denounced  the  war,  said,  "  Democracy  has 


JOY   OF  THE  FEDERALISTS. 


301 


mtrary,    were 


rolled  herself  up  in  weeds,  and  laid  down  for  its  last 
wallowing  in  the  slough  of  disgrace." 

Now  lift  ye  saints  your  heads  on  high, 
And  shout,  for  your  redemption 's  nigh.* 

The  Federalists  knew  their  advantage  and  pre- 
pared to  use  it,  for  this  was  not  a  lost  battle  that 
might  in  a  few  days  be  retrieved ;  it  was  a  lost 
campaign,  and  a  whole  winter  must  intervene  before 
an  opportunity  to  redeem  it  could  occur.  In  that 
time  they  hoped  to  make  the  administration  a  hissing 
and  a  bye-word  in  the  land.  The  war  party  looked 
glum  and  sullen  in  view  of  the  long  and  merciless 
scourging  which  awaited  it.  Armstrong  was  loudly 
censured,  while  ni  Wilkinson  and  Hampton  it  poured 
the  whole  vials  of  its  wrath.  Armstrong  was  doubt- 
less too  much  of  a  martinet,  and  could  carry  through 
a  campaign  on  paper  much  better  than  practically  ; 
still,  the  one  he  had  proposed  was  feasible,  and 
ought  to  have  succeeded.  He  could  not  be  held 
responsible  for  the  insubordination  of  officers.  He 
however  committed  one  great  error.  Aware  of  the 
hostile  feeling  that  existed  between  Wilkinson  and 
Hampton,  he  should  have  remained  on  the  spot  and 
acted  as  commander-in-chief,  or  else  if  his  duties 
rendered  his  absence  imperative,  accepted  the  resig- 
nation of  Wilkinson.  Old  and  sick  as  the  latter  was, 
no  commander  could  have  been  more  inefficient  than 

*  Vide  Ingersoll. 


302 


SECOND   WAR   WITH  ENGLAND. 


be,  while  tiie  enmity  between  him  and  Hampton  was 
certain  to  end  in  mischief.  The  junction  of  the  two 
armies  would  not  have  prevented,  but  on  the  contrary 
increased  it.  He  knew,  or  ought  to  have  known, 
they  would  not  act  harmoniously  together,  and  it 
required  no  prophet's  vision  to  foretell  the  fate  of  a 
divided  army  acting  on  the  enemy's  territory.  If  he 
had  remained  to  urge  forward  the  expedition,  and 
sent  home  Hampton  for  disobeying  his  orders,  and 
compelled  the  army  to  form  a  junction  with  that  of 
Wilkinson,  no  doubt  Montreal  would  have  fallen. 
But  knowing,  as  he  did  from  the  outset,  that 
Hampton  would  never  harmonize  with  his  enemy — to 
allow  the  success  of  the  campaign  to  depend  on  their 
concerted  action,  was  committing  a  blunder  for 
which  no  apology  can  be  made. 

Wilkinson  came  in  for  more  than  his  share  of  public 
abuse.  Sickness  must  always  cover  a  multitude  of 
sins.  There  are  very  few  men  whose  will  is  stronger 
than  disease.  The  firmest  are  unstrung  by  it.  Even 
Cesar,  when  prostrated  by  fever,  could  say  : 

"  Give  me  some  drink,  Titinins, 
As  a  sick  girl." 


This  is  especially  true  of  men  advanced  i  ?  years. 
Age  tells  heavily  enough  on  both  physical  and 
mental  powers  in  an  arduous  campaign,  without  the 
additional  aid  of  fever.    Wilkinson  was  perfectly 


BEYIEW  OF  THE  OAMPAIQN. 


308 


aware  of  this,  and  requested  twice  to  be  released 
from  the  command.  Forced  to  retain  a  position  he 
felt  unequal  to,  his  conduct  was  necessarily  char- 
acterized by  no  vigor;  and  insubordination,  dis- 
graceful quarrels,  and  duels,  combined  to  make  a 
sorry  chapter  in  the  history  of  the  expedition.  It 
must  be  confessed,  however, '  that  for  some  of  his 
conduct,  age  and  disease  are  but  sorry  excuses,  and 
it  is  pretty  apparent  he  was  in  character  wholly  unfit 
for  the  enterprise  he  had  undertaken.  For  Hampton 
there  is  no  apology.  His  disobedience  of  orders  in 
the  first  place  should  have  been  followed  by  his 
immediate  withdrawal  from  the  army,  while  his 
refusal  to  do  the  very  thing  he  had  been  sent  north 
to  perform,  was  a  crime  next  to  treason.  All  the 
forts  we  occupied  on  the  frontier  had  been  emptied 
of  their  garrisons,  and  great  expense  incurred  by  the 
government  to  carry  forward  an  expedition,  the  chief 
feature  in  which  was  the  junction  and  united 
advance  of  the  two  armies.  His  resignation  saved 
him  from  public  disgrace.  The  withdrawal  of  our 
troops  from  Lake  Ontario  and  Niagara,  together 
with  the  suspension  of  hostilities  on  the  St.  Lawrence, 
was  followed  by  the  capture  of  all  the  posts  we  had 
been  two  years  in  taking. 

When  Scott  obtained  permission  to  join  Wilkin- 
son's army,  he  left  Fort  George  in  the  command  of 
General  McGlure  of  the  New  York  militia.    The 


m 


304 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


Dco>  10. 


fort  had  been  put  in  a  complete  state  of  defence  by 
Scott,  and  was  supposed  able  to  repel  any  force  that 
would  be  brought  against  it.  Vincent,  who  had 
abandoned  its  investment  after  Proctor's  overthrow, 
returned  when  he  heard  of  Wilkinson's  retreat. 
McClure,  under  the  plea  that  his  militia  had  left 
him,  and  that  those  volunteers  promised  could  not  be 
obtained,  resolved  to  abandon  the  fort  without  risking 
a  battle. 
He  therefore  dismantled  it,  and  then  in  order  to 
deprive  the  enemy  of  shelter,  set  fire  to  the 
neighboring  village  of  Newark  and  drove 
four  hundred  women  and  children  forth  to  the  fierce 
blasts  of  a  northern  winter.  The  English,  who 
during  this  war  rarely  waited  for  an  excuse  to  resort 
to  the  barbarities  of  savage  warfare,  of  course 
retaliated  with  tenfold  violence. 

Nine  days  after,  Fort  Niagara  was  surprised 
by  a  party  of  British  and  Indians,  under  the 
command  of  Colonel  Murray,  and  sixty  of  the  garri- 
son murdered  in  cold  blood.  The  manner  in  which 
it  was  taken  created  a  strong  suspicion  of  treachery 
somewhere.  The  British  made  no  secret  of  the 
premeditated  attack,  and  the  day  before,  General 
McClure  issued  a  proclamation  to  the  inhabitants  of 
Niagara,  Genesee  and  Chatauque  counties,  calling  on 
them  to  rally  to  the  defence  of  their  homes 
and  country.    To  this  was  appended  a  postscript, 


Dec.  19i 


FALL  OF    NIAGARA. 


305 


e,   of   course 


stating,  "since  the  above  was  prepared,  I  have  re- 
ceived intelligence  from  a  credible  inhabitant  from 
Canada  (who  has  just  escaped  from  thence)  that  tho 
enemy  are  concentrating  all  tlieir  forces  and  boats  at 
Fort  George,  and  have  fixed  upon  to-morrow  night 
far  attacking  Fort  Niagara — aTid  should  they  suc- 
ceed they  will  lay  waste  our  whole  frontier."  On 
that  very  "  morrow  night "  the  attack  did  take  place, 
and  yet  the  Commandant,  Captain  Leonard,  was 
absent,  having  left  during  the  evening,  without  en- 
trusting the  command  of  the  post  to  another.  The 
picquets  were  taken  by  surprise,  and  the  enemy 
entered  by  the  main  gate,  which,  it  is  said,  was 
found  open. 

It  seemed  at  this  time  as  if  the  government  had 
carefully  selected  the  most  inefficient  men  in  the 
nation  to  command  on  our  frontier,  in  order  to  show 
what  a  large  stock  we  had  on  hand,  before  those 
more  capable  and  deserving  could  be  given  a  place. 
General  McClure  not  only  fixed  the  time  of  tho 
attack,  but  declared  that  the  fall  of  the  fort  would 
be  followed  by  the  desolation  of  the  whole  frontier, 
(in  both  of  which  prognostications  he  proved  an  ad- 
mirable prophet,)  yet  not  a  man  was  sent  to  rein- 
force it,  no  orders  were  issued  to  its  commander, 
and  no  precautions  taken.  Had  Scott  been  in  his 
place,  fort  Niagara  would  have  enclosed  him  that 
night — every  door  would  have  been   bolted  and 


306 


BEOOND  WAR  WITH  EKOLAND. 


D»o*ao. 


barred,  and  the  27  guns  it  contained  rained  death 
on  the  assailants  as  they  approached.     McClure  was 
right,   the    enemy  did  "  lay  waste  the  frontier." 
Marching  on  Lewistown,  they  burned  it  to  the  ground. 
Setting  fire  to  every  farm-house  as  they  advanced, 
massacring  many  of  the  inhabitants,  and  mutilating 
the  corpses,  they  burned  Youngstown,  the  Tuscarora 
Indian  village,  and  Manchester,  kindling  the  whole 
frontier  into  a  glow  from  the  light  of  blazing  <?!well- 
ings.    Eleven  days  after  another  party  crossed  at 
Grand  Island,  and  burned  Black  Kock  and  Buffalo, 
leaving  scarcely  a  house  standing  in  the  lat« 
ter  place.      At  Black    Rock  they  burned 
three  of  the  schooners  belonging  to  Perry's  gallant 
fleet.    Cruel  and  merciless  as  was  this  raid,  it  had  a 
justification,  at  least  in  the  burning  of  houses,  on 
the  principles  of  war.    The  destruction  of  Newark 
was  a  barbarous  act,  and  in  no  way  borne  out  by 
the  orders  of  government,  which  authorized  it  only 
on  the  ground  that  the  defence  of  the  fort  rendered 
it  necessary.    To  fire  a  town,  turning  forth  houseless 
and  homeless  women  and  children,  because  an  attack- 
ing enemy  might  employ  it  as  a  shelter  from  which 
to  make  their  approaches :  and  destroy  it  on  the  plea 
that  it  afibrds  merely  the  shelter  of  a  bivouack, 
after  the  position  is  abandoned,  are  totally  different 
acts,  nor  can  they  be  made  similar  by  any  sophistry. 
These  outrages  inflamed  the  passions  of  the  inhabi- 


RETALIATION. 


807 


tants  occupying  the  frontier  to  the  highest  degree. 
No  epithets  were  too  harsh  when  speaking  of  each 
other,  and  no  retaliation  seemed  too  severe.  This 
feeling  of  hostility  was  still  farther  exasperated  by 
the  treatment  of  prisoners  of  war.  The  imprison- 
ing of  twenty  Irishmen,  taken  at  Qucenstown  the 
year  before,  to  be  tried  as  traitors,  was  no  doubt  a 
stroke  of  policy  on  the  part  of  England,  and  design- 
ed to  deter  adopted  citizens  from  enlisting  in  the 
army.  It  was  announcing  beforehand,  that  all 
English,  Scotch  and  Irish  taken  in  battle  would  not 
bo  regarded  as  ordinary  prisoners  of  war,  but  as 
her  own  subjects  caught  in  the  act  of  revolt.  Our 
government  could  not  in  any  way  recognize  this 
arrogant  claim,  and  twenty-three  English  prisoners 
were  placed  in  close  confinement,  with  the  distinct 
pledge  of  the  government  that  they  should  meet  the 
fate  pronounced  on  the  Irishmen.  Prevost,  acting 
under  orders,  immediately  shut  up  twice  the  number 
of  American  officers.  Madison  retorted  by  impris- 
oning an  equal  number  of  English  officers.  Prevost 
then  placed  in  confinement  all  the  prisoners  of  war ; 
Madison  did  the  same.  The  treatment  of  these 
prisoners  was  alike  only  in  form,  for  while  we  showed 
all  the  leniency  consistent  with  obedience  to  orders, 
the  English,  for  the  most  part,  were  haughty,  con- 
temptuous, and  insulting. 


808 


8K00ND  WAB  WITH  BNOLAKD. 


The  Creek  war  commenced  this  year,  and  thongh 
the  Indians  were  not  subdued,  no  defeat  had  sullied 
the  American  arms.  Tliis,  together  with  the  capture 
of  Detroit,  summed  up  the  amount  of  our  successes 
on  land  for  the  year.  York  and  Fort  George  were  lost 
to  us,  while  Fort  Niagara,  standing  on  our  soil,  was 
in  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  Such,  the  administra- 
tion was  compelled  to  exhibit  as  the  results  accom- 
plished by  a  regular  army  of  thirty-four  thousand 
men,  six  thousand  volunteersy  and  the  occasional  em- 
ployment of  thirty  thousand  militia,  Tliis  report 
following  on  the  heels  of  the  disasters  of  the  previ- 
ous year,  would  have  completely  broken  down  the 
government  but  for  the  exasperated  state  of  the 
nation,  produced  by  the  cruelties  and  atrocities  of 
the  English.  Tenacity  of  purpose  has  ever  been 
characteristic  of  the  nation,  and  ever  will  be ;  dis- 
asters make  us  sullen  and  gloomy,  but  never  incline 
us  to  submission.  Armies  may  be  beaten,  but  the 
nation,  never,  is  a  sentiment  so  grounded  and  fixed 
in  the  national  heart  that  to  question  its  truth  excites 
only  amazement.  To  deepen  still  more  the  shadows 
that  had  closed  upon  us,  Bonaparte,  at  this  time, 
was  evidently  in  his  last  struggle.  Although  bat- 
tling bravely  for  his  throne,  and  exhibiting  in  more 
brilliant  light  than  ever  the  splendor  of  his  marvel- 
lous genius,  yet  the  "  star"  that  had  led  him  on  was 
already  touching  the  horizon ;  and  soon  as  his  vast 


PR0BPECT8. 


309 


power  should  yield  and  fall,  England  would  give  us 
her  undivided  attention,  and  then  our  little  navy, 
our  pride  and  eolace,  would  be  swept  from  the 
seas. 


1''^;! 


1 


m   1 


CHAPTER  XIY. 
1813—1814. 

Winter  operations— Decatnr  challenges  Commodore  Hardy  to  meet  the  United 
States  and  Macedonian  with  two  of  his  ft-igates— Wilkinson's  seoond  invasion  ot 
Canada— Battle  of  la  Cole  Mill — Holmes'  expedition  into  Canada—Romantlo 
character  of  our  border  warfare — Inroad  of  the  British  marines  to  Saybrook  and 
Brookaway's  Ferry. 

During  the  autumn  and  winter  of  this  year,  while 
Congress  was  shaken  with  conflicting  parties,  and 
deeper  gloom  and  embarrassments  were  gathering 
round  the  administration,  reports  of  conflicts  ever 
and  anon  came  from  the  bosom  of  our  northern  and 
southern  wildernesses.  "Wilkinson  was  endeavoring 
to  redeem  his  failures  along  the  St.  Lawrence,  and 
Jackson  was  leading  his  gallant  little  band  into  the 
fastnesses  of  the  Creek  nation.  Most  of  the  nation- 
al vessels  were  blockaded  in  our  harbors  and  rivers, 
but  still  our  bold  little  privateers  were  scouring  the 
ocean  in  every  direction.  At  this  time,  too,  a 
single  war  vessel  might  be  seen  struggling  in  tem- 
pestuous seas  off  the  stormy  cape,  on  her  way  to  the 
Pacific  ocean  to  finish  in  disaster  the  most  remarkable 
cruise  found  in  our  naval  annals.     Decatur,  with  his 


i 


DECATUR  8  CHALLENGE. 


311 


y  to  meet  the  United 
n'8  seoond  invasion  ot 
nto  Canada—Romantlo 
larlnes  to  Ssybrook  and 

this  year,  while 
ig  parties,  and 
were  gathering 
f  conflicts  ever 
ir  northern  and 
as  endeavoring 
Lawrence,  and 
i  band  into  tlie 
of  the  nation- 
bors  and  rivers, 
re  scouring  the 
is  time,  too,  a 
[ggling  in  tem- 
L  her  way  to  the 
iiost  remarkable 
lecatur,  with  his 


squadron,  lay  blockaded  at  New  London,  and  it  was 
said  that  every  attempt  to  get  to  sea  was  thwarted 
by  some  disaffected  perj^oiis,  who  burned  blue  lights 
at  the  mor.th  of  the  river  to  give  information  of  his 
movements  to  the  enemy.  He  wrote  a  letter  to  Mr. 
Jones,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  on  the  subject, 
and  a  proposition  was  made  in  Congress  to  have  it 
investigated,  but  it  was  dismissed  as  of  trivial  im- 
portance. Irritated  at  his  inactivity,  he  challenged 
the  Endymion  and  Statira  to  meet  the  United  States 
and  Macedonian  in  single  combat,  offering  to  reduce 
his  force  till  they  said  it  equalled  their  own.  To 
this  Commodore  Hardy  at  first  gave  his  consent,  but 
afterwards  withdrew  it.  If  the  challenge  had  been 
accepted,  there  is  little  doubt  but  that  the  Chesa- 
peake would  have  been  signally  avenged.  At  one 
time  Decatur  was  so  confident  of  a  fight,  that  he 
addressed  his  crew  on  the  subject. 

Wilkinson  soon  after  his  retirement  to  winter 
quarters  at  French  Mills,  on  Salmon  river,  resigned 
his  command  to  General  Izard,  and  proceeded  to 
Washington  to  recruit  his  health.  He  here  planned 
a  winter  campaign  which  for  hardihood  and  boldness 
exceeded  all  his  previous  demonstrations.  He  pro- 
posed to  pierce  by  different  routes  with  two  columns, 
each  two  thousand  strong,  to  the  St,  Pierre,  and 
sweeping  the  defenceless  cantonments  as  he  advanced, 
stop  and  occupy  them  or  turn  with  sudden  and  re- 


312 


SECOND   WAR  WITH   ENGLAND. 


sistless  energy  against  the  Isle  Aux  Noix,  or  go  quiet- 
ly back  to  his  winter  quarters  again.  At  the  same 
time,  four  'tliousand  men  were  to  cross  the  St.  Law- 
rence, take  Cornwall,  fortify  and  hold  it  so  as  to 
destroy  the  communication  between  the  two  provin- 
ces. Nay,  he  proposed  at  one  time  to  barrack  in 
Kingston.  The  secretary,  however,  distrusting  the 
feasibility  of  these  plans,  ordered  him  to  fall  back 
to  Plattsburgh  with  his  troops.  Brown,  in  the  mean 
time,  was  directed  to  take  two  thousand  men  and 
proceed  to  Sackett's  Harbor,  for  the  defence  of  our 
flotilla  there,  while  young  Scott  was  stationed  at 
Buffalo. 

Matters  remained  in  this  state  till  March, 
when  Wilkinson  resolved  to  erect  a  battery  at 
Rouse's  Point,  and  thus  keep  the  enemy  from  Lake 
Champlain.  The  latter,  penetrating  the  design,  con- 
centrated a  force  two  thousand  strong  at  La  Cole  Mill, 
three  miles  below  the  point.  The  early  breaking  up 
of  the  ice,  however,  had  rendered  the  project  imprac- 
ticable. Still,  "Wilkinson  resolved  to  attack  La  Cole 
Mill,  though  it  does  not  appear  what  use  he  designed  to 
make  of  the  victory  when  gained.  With  four  thousand 
men,  and  artillery  sufficiently  heavy,  it  was  supposed, 
to  demolish  the  walls  of  the  mill,  he  set  forth. 
The  main  road  was  blockaded  for  miles  with  trees 
that  had  been  felled  across  it.  He  therefore,  after 
arriving  at  Odletown,  was  compelled  to  take  a  nar- 


1813. 


BATTLE   OF   LA   COLE   MILL. 


313 


K,  or  go  quiet- 
Attlie  same 
the  St.  Law- 
i  it  so  as  to 
e  two  provin- 
to  barrack  in 
[istmsting  the 
a  to  fall  hack 
1,  in  the  mean 
and  men  and 
defence  of  our 
iS  stationed  at 

ite  till  March, 
jct  a  battery  at 
3my  from  Lake 
the  design,  con- 
at  La  Cole  Mill, 
•ly  breaking  up 
project  imprac- 
attack  La  Cole 
e  he  designed  to 
four  thousand 
t  was  supposed, 
he  set  forth, 
niles  with  trees 
therefore,  after 
id  to  take  a  nar- 


row winding  path  only  wide  enough  for  a  single 
sleigh,  and  which  for  three  miles  crept  through  a 
dense  wood.  With  a  guide  who  had  been  forced 
into  the  service  to  show  the  way,  and  who  marched 
on  foot  between  two  dragoons,  the»  advance,  led  by 
Major  Forsyth  and  Colonel  Clarke,  slowly  entered 
the  wintry  forest.  An  eighteen  pounder  broke 
down  before  it  reached  the  woods,  a  twelve  pounder 
lagged  on  the  way,  so  as  to  be  useless.  A  twelve 
pounder  and  a  howitzer  were  got  forward  witli  great 
labor,  for  the  wheels  sunk  into  the  yielding  snow 
and  mud,  and  thumped  at  almost  every  revolution 
against  the  trees  that  hemmed  in  the  narrow  path. 
The  column  was  necessarily  closely  packed,  and 
as  it  waded  through  the  snow  the  fire  of  the  con- 
cealed enemy  soon  opened  upon  it.  But  the  two  guns, 
what  with  lifting  and  pushing,  lumbered  slowly  for- 
ward, and  at  length  were  placed  in  a  position  in  a 
clearing  in  sight  of  the  mill,  which  proved  to  be 
garrisoned  by  only  two  hundred  men.  The  snow 
was  a  foot  deep,  and  the  panting  troops,  though  full 
of  courage  and  confidence,  were  brought  with  diffi- 
culty forward.  Tlie  woods  were  so  thick  that  the 
mill  was  hidden  till  directly  upon  it,  and  the  only 
open  space  where  the  cannon  could  play  unobstructed 
on  the  walls  was  so  near,  that  the  sharp  shooters 
within  the  building  could  pick  off"  the  gunners  with 

fatal  rapidity.    Tlie  first  shots  told  heavily  on  the 
15 


314 


SECOND  WAR   WITH   ENGLAND. 


building,  but  in  a  short  time,  of  the  three  officers 
who  commanded  the  guns,  two  were  severely 
wounded,  and  of  the  twenty  men  who  served  them, 
fourteen  were  dead  or  disabled.  The  troops  as  they 
came  up  were  posted  so  as  to  prevent  the  escape  of 
the  garrison.  Sortie  after  sortie  was  made  to  take 
the  guns,  but  always  repulsed  by  the  American 
troops,  who  fought  gallantly  under  their  intrepid 
leaders.  Larribee  who  commanded  the  howitzer  was 
shot  through  the  heart,  and  Macpherson  who  had 
charge  of  the  twelve  pounder,  though  cut  by  a  bul- 
let under  the  chin,  maintained  his  ground  till  pros- 
trated by  a  frightful  wound  in  the  hip.  The  infantry 
was  of  no  avail,  except  to  repel  sorties,  and  stood 
grouped  in  the  forest  waiting  till  the  enemy,  forced 
by  the  cannonade  to  retreat,  should  uncover  them- 
selves. But  it  was  impossible  to  serve  the  guns  un- 
der the  concentrated  fire  of  two  hundred  muskets 
and  rifles  in  such  close  range.  Men  dropped  in  the 
act  of  loading;  in  one  case,  after  the  piece  was 
charged,  but  a  single  man  remained  to  fire  it.  A  por- 
tion of  the  garrison  seeing  it  so  unprotected,  rushed 
forth  to  seize  it.  The  single  man,  however,  stood  his 
ground,  and  as  the  enemy  came,  fired  his  piece.  At 
the  same  time  the  troops  in  the  wood  poured  in  a 
volley.  "When  the  smoke  cleared  away  but  a  single 
man  was  left  standing.  The  whole  column  had  been 
shot  down.    At  length  a  hundred  and  forty  or  fifty 


DEFEAT   OF   TTfE    AMERICANS. 


815 


1814. 


having  fallen  and  night  coming  on  the  troops  were 
withdri  wn.  It  was  resolved  to  renew  the  attack  next 
morning,  but  a  rain  storm  set  in  during  the  night, 
turning  the  snow  into  a  half  fluid  mass,  and  render- 
ing a  second  approach  impracticable.  The  chilled 
and  tired  army  was  therefore  withdrawn,  and  Wil- 
kinson ended  at  once  his  invasion  of  Canada  and 
his  military  career.  He  retired  from  the  army,  and 
younger  and  more  energetic  men  were  appointed 
over  it,  who  should  lead  it  to  victory.  On  the  24th  of 
January,  Brigadier-Generals  Brown  and  Izard 
were  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Major-Generals, 
and  later  in  the  spring  took  command  on  our  north- 
ern frontier. 

While  these  unsuccessful  plans  were  maturing  on 
the  St.  Lawrence,  Colonel  Butler,  commanding  at 
Detroit,  dispatched  Captain  Holmes  with  a  small 
detachment  into  Canada  to  destroy  Fort  Talbot,  a 
hundred  miles  inland,  and  what  ever  other  "  military 
establishments  might  fall  in  his  way."    He 
*  had  less  than  two  hundred  men  and  but  two 
cannon.      Pushing  his  way  through  the  forests  he 
found  the  road  when  he  reached  Point  Au  Plat,  so 
filled  with  fallen  trees  and  brushwood  that  his  guns 
could  not  be  carried  forward.     Leaving  them  there- 
fore behind,  he  kept  on  until  he  ascertained  that  his 
approach  was  expected.    Seeing  that  all  hopes  of  a 
surprise  must  be  abandoned,  he  changed  his  course 


:i.l 


316 


SECOND   WAH   WITH   ENGLAND. 


and  marched  rapidly  against  Fort  Delaware,  on  the 
Thames,  occupied  by  the  British.  But  when  he 
arrived  within  fifteen  miles  of  the  place  he  was 
informed  that  his  attack  was  expected,  and  that  am- 
ple preparations  had  been  made  to  meet  it.  lie 
immediately  fell  back  behind  Twenty  Mile  Creek, 
where  he  had  scarcely  taken  position,  before  the 
rangers  left  to  protect  his  rear  emerged  on  a  run 
from  the  woods  that  covered  the  opposite  bank, 
pushed  fiercely  by  the  head  of  the  enemy's  column. 
He  immediately  strengthened  his  position  by  every 
means  in  his  power,  and  on  the  following  morning 
was  ready  for  an  attack.  Only  a  small  body  of  the 
enemy,  however,  appeared  at  day  break,  and  soon 
after  retreated.  Holmes  at  first  suspected  this  to  be 
a  ruse  to  draw  him  from  his  position,  but  ascertain- 
ing from  a  reconnaissance  that  not  more  than  sixty 
or  seventy  men  composed  the  force,  he  started  in 
pursuit.  His  first  conjecture,  however,  proved  true, 
for  after  marching  a  few  miles  he  came  upon  his  ad- 
versary, well  posted,  and  expecting  him.  His  great 
anxiety  was  now  to  get  back  to  his  position,  and  at 
the  same  time  practice  the  very  deception  which  had 
beguiled  him  from  it.  He  succeeded  admirably,  and 
the  British  imagining  his  retreat  to  be  a  hasty  and 
disorderly  flight  pressed  after,  and  on  coming  to  the 
creek  resolved  at  once  to  attack  him.  Crossing  the 
Btrcam  they  ascended  the  opposite  bank  boldly,  and 


HOLMES     KXPEDITION. 


817 


ware,  on  tlio 
;ut  when  lie 
lace  he  was 
and  that  am- 
tneot  it.    He 
f  Mile  Creek, 
n,  before  the 
ged  on  a  run 
pposito  bank, 
amy's  column, 
ition  by  every 
>wing  morning 
Jl  body  of  the 
peak,  and  soon 
scted  this  to  be 
but  ascertain- 
ore  than  sixty 
I,  he  started  in 
ir,  proved  true, 
lo  upon  his  ad- 
ra.    His  great 
|osition,  and  at 
Dion  which  had 
admirably,  and 
|e  a  hasty  and 
coming  to  the 
Crossing  the 
ik  boldly,  and 


without  opposition,  till  within  twenty  yards  of  the 
top,  when  they  were  mot  by  such  a  sudden  and  de" 
structive  volley  that  they  broke  and  fled.     Hiding 
behind  trees  they  then  kept  up  a  harmless  fire  till 
night,  wlien  under  cover  of  darkness  they  effected 
their  retreat  with  the  loss  of  nearly  a  hundred  men,  or 
one-third  of  their  force,  while  some  half  dozen  killed 
and  wounded  covered  the  loss  of  the  Americans. 
This  half  partisan,  half  regular  warfare,  in  the  midst 
of  our  vast  forests,  combined  much  of  the  pictur- 
esque and  marvellous.    There  was  not  the  pomp  o^ 
vast  armies,  nor  the  splendor  of  a  great  battle,  but 
courage,  skill  and  endurance  were  required,  suflScient 
to  make  able  commanders  and  veteran  soldiers.   The 
long  and  tedious  march  of  a  hundred  miles  through 
the  snow-filled  forest — the  solitary  block-house  \^ith 
its  small  garrison,   situated  in  a  lonely  clearing, 
around  which  the  leafless  trees  creaked  and  groaned 
in  the  northern  blasts — the  bivouack  fire  gleaming 
red  through  the  driving  storm — the  paths  of  wild 
beasts  crossing  the  wilderness  in  every  direction, 
their  cries  of  hunger  mingling  with  the  mufiled 
sound  of  half  frozen  torrents — ^the  war-cry  of  tho 
savage  and  the  crack  of  his  rifle  at  still  midnight, 
waking  up  the   chilled  sleepers  to  battle  and  to 
death — ^the  sudden  onset  and  the  bloody  hand-to-hand 
fight,  made  up  the  experience  and  history  of  our 
border  warfare.    Far  away  from  the  haunts  of  civil- 


318 


SECOND   WAR  WITH  KNOLAND. 


ization,  men  struggled  for  tlie  control  of  an  imaginary 
line,  and  many  gallant  and  able  officers,  fell  inglori- 
ously  by  some  Indian  marksman.  At  far  intervals, 
stretching  from  the  St.  Lawrence  to  Mackinaw,  the 
faintly  heard  thunder  of  cannon  amid  those  vast  soli- 
tudes, announced  that  two  nations  were  battling  for 
untrodden  forest  tracts  and  undisturbed  sheets  of 
water.  Those  tracts  are  now  covered  with  towns 
and  cities,  and  those  sheets  of  water  freighted  with 
commerce.  Tlien  it  was  announced  as  a  great  mira- 
cle of  speed,  that  a  steamboat  made  four  miles  an 
hour  in  passing  up  the  Ohio — ^now  the  northern 
lakes  are  ploughed  with  steamers,  going  at  the  rate 
of  eighteen  or  twenty  miles  an  hour,  and  wrapped 
round  with  railroads,  over  which  cars  are  thunder- 
ing with  a  velocity  that  annihilates  distance,  and 
brings  into  one  neighborhood  the  remotest  States. 

An  unsuccessful  attempt  on  the  part  of  the  British 
to  destroy  the  American  vessels  just  launched  at  Yer- 
gennes,  and  which  were  to  compose  Macdonough's 
fleet,  and  a  bold  inroad  of  the  English  marines  from 
the  blockading  squadron  off  New  London,  in  which 
twenty  American  vessels  were  burned,  the 
men  pitching  quoits,  drinking  and  playing 
ball  during  the  conflagration,  till  night,  when  they 
quietly  floated  down  the  river,  constituted  the  other 
chief  movements  that  terminated  in  the  early  spring. 


Aprils. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THIRTEENTH   CONGRESS.      MAY   27,    1813. 


Domocratio  gain  In  Congress — Spirit  tn  which  the  two  parties  met — Russian  medi- 
ation offered  fend  accepted,  and  commerce  opened— State  of  the  Treasury— 
Debat«  respecting  a  reporter's  seat— Direct  tax — Webster's  resolutions— Gover- 
nor Chittenden — Strange  conduct  of  parties  in  New  Hampshire— The  embargo—' 
England  proposes  peace— CommisslAners  appointed— Army  bill— "Webster's 
speech  upon  it— Sketch  of  him— The  loan  bill— Defended  by  Mr.  Eppes— 
Sketch  of  Mr.  Pickering,  with  bis  speech— Sketch  of  John  Forsyth,  and  his 
speech — Calhoun— Grosvenor— Bill  for  the  support  of  military  establishments- 
Speech  of  Artemus  Ward— Besolntions  of  Otis  In  the  Massachusetts  Senate — 
Kepeal  of  the  embargo— Calhoun  and  Webster — Strange  reversal  of  their  positiont 
Strength  of  our  navy  and  army. 

Soon  after  the  capture  of  York  the  Thirteenth 
Congress  assembled.  By  the  new  apportionment 
made  the  year  previous,  a  hundred  and  eighty-two 
members  had  been  added  to  the  House  of  Represen- 
tatives. One  remarkable  man,  Randolph,  had  dis- 
appeared from  the  arena,  having  been  defeated  by 
Mr.  Eppes,  son-in-law  of  Jefferson.  As  the  two  great 
parties  came  together  they  surveyed  each  other's 
strength — prepared  to  close  in  combat  with  the  same 
determination  and  hostile  feeling  that  ha  mdarked 
the  proceedings  of  the  last  session  of  the  Twelfth 


320 


SECOND   WAU   WITH   EUfQLAND. 


I 


CongresB.  In  the  accession  of  members  the  Fede- 
ralists had  made  important  gains,  chiefly  from  New 
York,  so  that  the  House  stood  one  hundred  and 
twelve  for  the  war  and  sixty-eight  against  it,  and  the 
Senate  twenty-seven  to  nine.  In  the  latter,  however, 
the  party  lines  were  not  so  strongly  drawn,  and  on 
many  questions  the  Democrats  had  much  less  majori- 
ties than  their  nominal  superiority  would  indicate. 
Among  the  new  members  were  Pickering,  who  had 
succeeded  Quincey,  and  Cyrus  King,  from  Massa- 
chusetts, and  Daniel  Webster,  from  New  Hampshire, 
Federalists.  Forsyth,  of  Georgia,  M'Lean,  of  Ohio, 
Taylor,  of  New  York,  and  Findley,  of  Pennsylvania, 
were  Democrats.  Mr.  Clay  was  elected  speaker  on  the 
£rst  ballot.  The  President's  message  was  short,  and 
related  wholly  to  the  war.  He  informed  Congress  that 
an  offer  of  mediation  had  been  made  by  the  Em- 
peror Alexander,  of  Kussia,  on  the  8th  of  March 
previous — and  accepted,  and  that  Mr.  Gallatin,  Mr. 
Bayard,  and  Mr.  Adams,  had  been  appointed  Com- 
missioners under  it,  t  *>  negotiate  a  peace  with  England, 
and  also  a  treaty  with  Russia.  He  expressed  the  belief 
that  England  would  accept  the  mediation,  whether  it 
resulted  in  any  settlement  of  difficulties  or  not. 

The  receipts  into  the  Treasury  during  the  six 
months,  ending  the  last  day  of  March,  including 
sums  received  on  account  of  Treasury  notes  and 
loans,  amounted  to  $16,412,000,  the  expenditures  to 


I 


STATE  OF  THE  TREASURY. 


321 


the  Fede- 
from  New 
indred  and 
t  it,  and  the 
jr,  however, 
iwn,  and  on 
less  majori- 
ild  indicate. 
12,  who  had 
from  Massa- 
r  Hampshire, 
jan,  of  Ohio, 
Pennsylvania, 
peaker  on  the 
as  short,  and 
longress  that 
by  the  Em- 
;h  of  March 
allatin,  Mr. 
lointed  Com- 
ith  England, 
led  the  belief 
I,  whether  it 
lor  not. 
•ing  the  six 
kh,  including 
y  notes  and 
penditures  to 


$16,920,000.  A  balance,  however,  was  in  the  Trea- 
sury previously,  so  that  there  remained  $1,867,000 
unexpended.  Of  the  loan  of  sixteen  millions,  autho- 
rized  in  February,  one  million  had  been  paid 
in,  and  formed  part  of  the  receipts  mentioned, 
60  that  the  remaining  $16,000,000,  together  with 
$6,000,000  of  Treasury  notes,  and  $9,700,000,  the 
sum  expected  from  customs,  sales  of  public  lands, 
making  in  all  $29,000,000,  constituted  the  provision 
for  the  remaining  nine  months  of  the  current  year. 
To  avoid  the  necessity  of  loans,  which  were  made  at 
rates  injurious  to  the  government,  and  to  give  a  more 
permanent  basis  to  the  revenue,  additional  taxes  were 
recommended. 

The  first  act  of  Congress  was  the  passage  of  a  reso- 
lution, introduced  by  Clay,  to  refer  that  part  of  the 
message  which  related  to  the  barbarous  manner  in 
which  the  enemy  waged  war  to  a  select  committee, 
of  which  Mr.  Macon,  of  Georgia,  was  chairman.  Mr. 
Epps  was  made  chairman  of  that  of  Ways  and 
Means,  and  Calhoun  of  that  on  Foreign  Affairs.  The 
gentlemen  constituting  the  latter  were  Calhoun, 
Grundy,  Desha,  Jackson  of  Virginia,  Ingersoll,  Fisk 
of  Kew  York,  and  Webster. 

The  extreme  sensitiveness  of  the  two  parties,  and 

the  readiness  with  which  they  seized  upon  the  most 

trifling  matter  as  a  bone  of  contention,  were  strik 

ingly  exhibited  in  some  of  the  earliest  proceedings  of 
14* 


822 


8E00ND  WAR  Wmi  ENGLAND. 


a 


Congress.  The  reporter  of  the  Federal  Republican, 
the  paper  which  had  been  mobbed  by  the  Demo- 
crats at  Baltimore,  and  was  now  published  in  George- 
town, presented  a  petition,  asking  a  place  to  be 
assigned  him,  like  that  of  the  other  reporters,  and 
stating  that  the  Speaker  had  refused  to  give  him  one. 
The  implication  was,  that  Mr.  Clay  had  denied  hiiu 
a  place  on  account  of  his  politics.  Mr.  Clay  said 
this  was  not  so,  that  the  true  reason  was,  he  had 
no  place  to  give;  all  of  those  furnished  by  the  House 
being  preoccupied.  This  statement,  however,  could 
not  satisfy  the  members,  and  it  was  proposed  to 
make  an  extra  provision  for  the  gentleman.  Cal- 
houn was  opposed  to  the  admission  of  any  reporters. 
Almost  the  entire  day  was  occupied  in  discussing 
this  trifling  affair,  when  such  momentous  questions 
asked  the  attention  of  Congress.  It  even  adjourned 
without  coming  to  a  decision,  and  not  until  next  day 
was  it  disposed  of,  by  rejecting  the  prayer  of  the 
petitioner. 

,  Mr.  Eppes,  from  the  Committee  of  Ways  and 

June  14.  *^*^      '  •^ 

Means,  made  a  report,  in  which,  after  showing 
that  the  expenditures  for  the  next  year,  1814,  would 
exceed  the  revenue  by  $5,600,000,  twelve  bills  were 
offered,  one  for  direct  taxation,  another  establishing 
the  office  of  Commissioner  of  the  Revenue,  and  others 
laying  duties  on  imported  salt,  on  licenses  to  retailers 
of  liquors,  on  foreign  merchandise,  carriages,  distil- 


WED8TKR  S  BPEEOn. 


823 


lers  of  liquoro,  on  auction  Btilos  of  foreign  goods  and 
vessels,  ou  sugars  refined  in  tlie  United  States,  on 
bank  notes,  notes  of  hand  and  certain  foreign  bills  of 
exchange,  and  on  foreign  tonnage. 

Mr.  Webster  then  rose  and  delivered  his  first 
speech  in  the  House,  introduced  by  four  resolutions, 
the  purport  of  which  were  to  inquire  into  the  time, 
manner,  &c.,  with  the  attending  circumstances,  in 
which  the  document,  asserted  to  be  a  repeal  of  the 
Berlin  and  Milan  decrees,  was  communicated  to  this 
government.  Although  these  resolutions  had  their 
origin  in  Federal  hostility,  and  were  designed  to 
sustain  the  old  charge  against  the  administration,  of 
being  under  French  influence,  because  it  was  well 
aware  those  decrees  had  not  been  repealed  when  it 
declared  war  against  England,  yet  Webster  carefully 
avoided  implying  it  in  his  speech.  He  felt  bound  to 
offer  these  resolutions  in  justice  to  his  constituents. 
A  heated  discussion  followed  their  introduction,  but 
young  Webster  conducted  himself  with  great  pru- 
dence and  caution.  At  home  he  had  made  inflam- 
mable speeches  against  the  war,  but  after  he  got  out 
of  the  atmosphere  of  Massachusetts,  and  came  in 
contact  with  such  ardent  young  patriots  as  Clay  and 
Calhoun,  his  sympathies,  doubtless,  were  moved,  and 
his  patriotism  received  an  impulse  which  went  far  to 
neutralize  the  views  of  Federalism,  with  which  he 
had  been  inoculated.     The  political  opponents  of 


324 


SECOND  WAR   WITH   ENGLAND. 


that  war  having  been  successively  thrown  overboard 
by  the  nation  since  its  termination,  much  effort 
seems  to  have  been  made  by  the  friends  of  Webster 
to  omit  entirely  this  portion  of  his  life,  but  I  have  no 
doubt  were  it  truly  and  honorably  written,  it  would 
exalt  his  character  and  enhance  his  fame.  Coming 
from  the  very  furnace  of  Federalism — educated  under 
the  influence  of  men  whose  opinions  he  had  been 
taught  to  venerate,  and  who,  throwing  aside  their 
party  hate,,  were  the  wisest  statesmen  of  the  land, 
sent  to  Washington  on  purpose  to  represent  their 
views,  it  seems  unaccountable  that  he,  a  young 
aspirant  for  fame,  did  not  at  once  plunge  into  the 
arena  and  win  reputation  by  crossing  swords  with 
such  men  as  Clay  and  Calhoun.  Standing  for  the 
first  time  on  the  field  where  political  fame  was  to 
be  won,  and  goaded  on  by  attacks  upon  principles  he 
had  been  taught  to  venerate,  he  nevertheless  carefully 
stood  aloof,  and  shortly  after  retired  entirely  on  leave 
of  absence.  How  is  this  strange  conduct  to  be  ac- 
counted for  in  one  who  ever  after  never  refused  to 
close  like  a  lion  with  his  foes  ?  With  his  powers  he 
would  soon  have  been  a  leader  of  the  opposition,  and 
yet  this  soul,  full  of  deep  thought  and  slumbering 
fire,  looked  apparently  cold  and  indifferent  on  the 
Ktrife  that  was  rending  the  nation  asunder.  Did 
not  this  conduct  grow  out  of  a  sense  of  duty  and  of 
triotism.    He  could  not  do  less,  as  a  representa- 


DIREOT  TAX. 


825 


tive  of  Federalism,  than  offer  resolutions  of  inquiry, 
and  without  turning  traitor  to  liis  constituentd,  he 
could  not  do  more  for  the  administration.  Did  not 
that  judgment,  on  whose  decisions  the  nation  after- 
wards so  implicitly  relied,  tell  him  even  then  that 
iiis  country  was  right  and  his  teachers  wrong  on  the 
great  question  of  war  or  no  war,  and  did  not  that 
grand  heart,  which  heaved  like  the  swelling  sea 
when  he  spoke  of  the  glorious  Union,  even  then 
revolt  at  the  disloyal  attitude  of  New  England  ?  If 
this  be  not  true,  then  his  conduct  is  wholly  inexplica- 
ble and  contradictory  to  his  after  life. 

Tlie  first  session  of  the  Thirteenth  Congress  con- 
tinued till  August  2d,  when  it  adjourned  to  Decem- 
ber. In  the  mean  time,  a  direct  tax,  amounting  to 
$3,000,000,  apportioned  to  the  eighteen  different 
states,  was  laid.  A  bounty  of  $25  was  voted  to 
privateers  for  every  prisoner  taken,  and  heavy  pen- 
alties were  placed  on  the  use  of  British  licenses,  and 
provisions  made  to  raise  ten  companies  for  the 
defence  of  the  sea  coast.  The  disasters  of  our  north- 
ern army,  during  this  autumn,  increased  the  bold- 
ness of  the  Federalists,  and  a  paper  of  Boston 
openly  advocated  the  proposition  for  each  state  to 
take  care  of  itself,  fight  its  own  battles,  and  make 
its  own  terms.  Governor  Chittenden  of  Vermont, 
attempted  to  recall  a  brigade  of  militia,  appointed 
to  garrison  Burlington,  during  Hampton's  march  into 


ii 


326 


SECOND  WAR   WITH   ENGLAND. 


Canada,  on  the  ground  it  had  been  unconstitution- 
ally ordered  out.  The  commander  and  a  part  of  the 
brigade  refused,  when  the  former  was  put  under 
arrest.  The  Legislature  of  New  Hampshire,  in 
order  to  get  rid  of  the  democratic  judges,  appointed 
by  Langdon  and  Plumer,  abolished  all  the  courts  in 
the  state,  and  constructed  an  entirely  new  system, 
with  new  judges.  To  this  high-handed  measure  the 
democratic  judges  refused  to  submit,  and  held  court 
sessions  as  formerly,  side  by  side  with  the  new 
judges.  In  those  counties  where  the  sheriff  was 
democratic,  their  decision  was  sustained  by  this 
functionary,  confusing  and  confounding  every  thing. 
By  such  measures,  party  spirit  was  inflamed  to  the 
highest  pitch,  dividing  frieiids  and  families  and 
societies.  It  became  a  frenzy,  a  madness,  obliterat- 
ing, in  many  parts  of  New  England,  all  traces  of 
former  urbanity,  j  ustice,  affection  and  courtesy.  The 
appellation  of  Democrat  and  Federalist,  applied  to 
one  or  the  other,  converted  him,  in  his  opponent's 
eye,  into  a  monster.  The  charge  of  highway  rob- 
bery, rape  or  murder  would  not  have  been  more 
instantaneous  and  direful  in  its  effect.  The  Boston 
papers  advocated  the  most  monstrous  doctrines, 
creating  great  anxiety  and  solicitude  at  Washington. 
But  soon  as  the  New  England  line  was  crossed, 
passing  west  and  south,  the  feeling  changed.  To  go 
from  these  fierce,  debasing  broils,  into  the  harmoni- 


SECOND  SESSION  OF  OONOBESS. 


327 


oils  feeling  in  favor  of  the  war,  was  like  passing 
from  the  mad  struggles  of  a  vessel  amid  the  break- 
ers to  a  quiet  ship  moving  steadily  on  her  way. 
The  governors  of  the  several  states  in  their  procla- 
mations and  messages  firmly  upheld  the  administra- 
tion, and  the  legislatures  pledged  their  support. 

In  the  midst  of  such  excitements,  oppressed  by 

the  failure  of  Wilkinsons  campaign,  and  dreading 

the  use  which  the  Federalists  would  make  of  it. 

Congress,  according  to  adjournment,  reassem- 

Deo.  6. 

b''  1  Mr.  Eppes  was  still  continued  chair- 
man of '  -t  *  ommittee  of  "Ways  and  Means.  Among 
the  first  measures  was  the  introduction  of  an  embargo 
act.  Madison,  in  a  special  message,  strongly  recom- 
mended it,  on  the  ground  that  under  the  present 
non-importation  act  the  enemy  on  our  shores  and  at 
a  distance  were  constantly  furnished  with  the  sup- 
plies they  needed.  An  illegal  traffic  was  also  car- 
ried on  with  foreign  ports,  not  only  exporting  for- 
bidden articles,  but  importing  British  manufactures. 
To  stop  this  illicit  trade  in  future,  an  act  was  passed 
in  secret  session,  laying  an  embargo  on  all  the  ports 
of  the  Union.  To  prevent  evasion,  it  was  guarded 
by  the  most  stringent  provisions  and  heavy  penal- 
ties, so  that  the  coasting  trade  suffered  severely. 
Fishermen  were  compelled  to  give  bonds  that  they 
would  not  violate  it,  before  they  were  allowed  to 
leave  port.    That  portion  of  it,  however,  which 


328 


SECOND  WAR  WITH   ENGLAND. 


Jan.  7. 


related  to  the  importation  of  woolen,  cotton,and  spirits, 
was  rejected  by  the  House,  as  that  prohibiting  the  re- 
lease of  goods  on  bonds  was  rejected  by  the  Senate. 

Soon  after,  a  great  excitement  was  caused  in  the 
country  by  a  rumor  that  a  British  schooner,  the 
Bramble,  had  arrived  in  Annapolis,  bearing  a  flag 
of  truce,  and  despatches  of  a  peaceful  nature  to  our 
government.  Seven  days  after,  the  President 
transmitted  a  message  to  Congress,  informing 
it  of  a  proposition  on  the  part  of  the  English  govern- 
ment, to  have  commissioners  appointed  to  negotiate 
a  peace.  This  announcement  was  the  signal  for  the 
Federalist  papers  to  indulge  in  laudations  of  Great 
Britain's  generosity  and  magnanimity.  She  had 
taken  the  first  amicable  steps,  and  that,  too,  when 
she  was  in  a  condition,  owing  to  Napoleon's  sinking 
fortunes,  to  direct  her  entire  power  against  us.  The 
same  vessel  brought  the  news  of  the  disasters  of 
Leipsic.  There  was,  on  the  other  hand,  much  dis- 
trust among  the  Democrats,  because  the  offer  of  the 
Russian  mediation  had  been  coldly  rejected  three 
several  times. 

John  Quincy  Adams,  and  Henry  Clay,  and  Jon- 
athan Russel  and  Bayard  who  were  already  abroad, 
were  appointed  Commissioners,  to  whom  Gallatin  was 
soon  after  added,  to  proceed  to  Gottenberg.  Russel, 
after  the  negotiations  closed,  was  to  remain  as  min- 
ister to  Sweden.    Mr.  Clay,  in  an  eloquent  address, 


TUEREAU'S   LETTER. 


829 


Dec. 


resigned  his  station  as  Speaker  of  the  House, 

Jan.  19.  ,     ,,       ^ 

and  Mr.  Cheves  was  elected  in  his  place. 
One  of  the  most  exciting  debates  during  this  session 
of  Congress  arose  on  the  introduction  of  reso- 
lutions by  the  editor  of  the  Federal  Republi- 
can, demanding  an  inquiry  respecting  a  letter 
written  by  Turreau,  in  1809,  then  Minister  from 
France,  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  said  to  be  with- 
drawn from  the  files.  The  disappearance  of  the 
letter  was  proof  positive  that  its  contents  committed, 
in  some  way,  the  administration.  A  vehement 
debate  of  three  days  duration  followed.  Endless 
changes  were  rung  on  the  old  charge  of  French 
influence.  At  length  the  question  was  taken,  and 
the  resolutions  voted  down,  and  a  simple  call  on  the 
President  for  information  substituted.  This  shell 
which  had  been  so  suddenly  thrown  into  the  House, 
threatening  in  its  explosion  to  shatter  the  war  party 
to  fragments,  proved  a  very  harmless  thing.  Tur- 
reau, it  eventually  turned  out,  had  written  a  letter 
of  complaint  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  so  overbear- 
ing in  its  tone,  so  absurd  in  its  complaints,  and  so 
undiplomatic  in  every  respect,  that  he  was  requested 
to  withdraw  it,  which  was  done.  In  such  a  sensi- 
tive and  excited  state  was  party  feeling  at  this  time, 
that  the  most  trivial  matters  became  distorted  and 
magnified  into  extraordinary  proportions. 
The  army  bill,  providing  for  the  filling  of  the  ranks, 


830 


SECOND  WAE  WITH   ENGLAND. 


M 


the  enlistment  of  men  to  serve  for  five  years  instead 
of  twelve  months,  and  the  re-enlistment  of  those 
whose  term  of  service  had  expired ;  and  another  bill 
authorizing  a  new  loan  of  $25,000,000,  was  the  bugle 
blast  summoning  the  combatants  to  battle.  Mr. 
Webster  was  for  the  first  time  roused.  The  army 
bill  was  evidently  designed  to  provide  for  a  third 
campaign  against  Canada.  From  the  first,  almost 
the  entire  military  force  of  the  nation  had  been  em- 
ployed in  these  futile  invasions.  The  successive 
failures,  especially  the  last,  gave  the  opposition 
great  vantage  ground  in  declaring  against  the 
scheme  altogether.  They  condemned  it  not  only  as 
an  aggressive  war,  and  therefore  indefensible,  but 
declared  the  acquisition  of  that  country  worse  than 
worthless  if  obtained.  The  whole  project  was  not 
only  wrong  in  principle,  but  would  be  evil  in  its 
results,  if  successful. 

The  clause  extending  the  term  of  enlistment, 
and  authorizing  the  raising  of  new  regiments,  mak- 
ing the  money  bounty  $124 — fifty  of  it  to  be  paid 
on  an  enrollment,  fifty  on  mustering,  and  the  remain- 
der at  the  close  of  the  war,  if  living,  and  if  not  to  go 
to  his  heirs,  was  assailed  with  vehement  opposition. 
Mr.  Webster,  who  had  been  cut  short  in  an  attack 
on  the  administration  by  the  Speaker,  on 
the  ground  that  no  question  was  before 
the  house,  now  rose  to  speak.    Carefully  avoiding 


Jan.  3, 1814. 


WEBSTER  S  SPEECH. 


331 


Jan.  10. 


the  asperity  which  distinguished  his  colleagues,  he 
levelled  all  his  force  against  the  emhargo  act,  and 
the  conquest  of  Canada.  The  former  he  de- 
nounced unjust  and  unequal  in  its  bearing, 
and  ruinous  in  its  consequences.  He  called  on  the 
administration  to  remove  it  at  once,  as  the*  first 
step  towards  the  acquirement  of  a  just  position.  He 
tlien  denounced  the  Canadian  war,  to  prosecute 
which  this  extraordinary  bill  was  introduced,  whose 
provisions  if  carried  out  would  swell  the  regular 
army  to  sixty-six  thousand  troops,  to  say  nothing  of 
the  power  conferred  on  the  President  for  calling  out 
the  militia  for  six  months  instead  of  three.  Let  us, 
he  said,  have  only  force  enough  on  our  frontier  to 
protect  it  from  invasion — ^let  the  slaughter  of  our 
yeomanry  cease,  and  the  fires  along  our  northern 
boundary  be  extinguished.  Already  the  war  had 
cost  nearly  half  as  much  as  the  entire  struggle  for 
independence;  and  said  he,  in  conclusion,  if  war 
must  be,  "  apply  your  revenue  to  the  augmentation 
of  your  navy.  That  navy,  in  turn,  may  protect  your 
commerce.  Let  it  no  longer  be  said  that  not  one 
ship  of  force  built  by  your  hands  since  the  war, 
floats  on  the  ocean.  Turn  the  current  of  your  efforts 
into  the  channel  which  national  sentiment  has  already 
worn  broad  and  deep  to  receive  it.  A  naval  force 
competent  to  defend  your  coast  against  considerable 
armaments,  to  convoy  your  trade,  and  perhaps  raise 


332 


SECOND   WAR  WITH   ENGLAND. 


the  blockade  of  your  rivers,  is  not  a  chimera.  It 
may  be  realized.  If,  then,  the  war  must  continue, 
go  to  the  ocean.  If  you  are  seriously  contending  for 
maritime  rights,  go  to  the  theatre  where  alone  those 
rights  can  be  defended.  Thither  every  indication  of 
your  fortune  points  you.  There  tlie  united  wishes 
and  exertions  of  the  nation  will  go  with  you.  Even 
our  party  divisions,  acrimonious  as  they  are,  cease 
at  the  water's  edge.  They  are  lost  in  attachment  to 
national  character,  on  that  element  where  that  char- 
acter is  made  respectable.  In  protecting  naval  inte- 
rests by  naval  means,  you  will  arm  yourselves  with 
the  whole  power  of  national  sentiment,  and  may 
command  the  whole  abundance  of  national  resources. 
In  time  you  may  enable  yourselves  to  redress  inju- 
ries in  the  place  where  they  may  be  offered,  and  if 
need  be,  to  accompany  your  own  flag  throughout  the 
world  with  the  protection  of  your  own  cannon." 
This  speech  produced  a  marked  impression  on  the 
house.  Succeeding  as  it  did,  the  resolutions  of  the 
Legislature  of  Massachusetts,  refusing  to  compliment 
our  naval  commanders  for  their  victories,  on  the 
ground  that  encouragement  would  be  given  to 
the  war,  it  looked  like  a  change  in  that  quarter. 
The  war  was  not  denounced  as  it  had  ever  been  by 
the  Federalist  leaders — ^he  quarrelled  only  with  the 
mode  of  carrying  it  on.  Nay,  it  implied  that  we 
had  wrongs  to  redress  at  sea,  and  thither  our  force 


rD. 

a  chimera.    It 
nust  continue, 
contending  for 
ire  alone  those 
^  indication  of 
united  -wishes 
ith  you.   Even 
they  are,  cease 
attachment  to 
here  that  char- 
sing  naval  inte- 
^ourselves  with 
lent,  and  may 
ional  resources. 
|to  redress  inju- 
offered,  and  if 
throughout  the 
own  cannon." 
)re8sion  on  the 
olutions  of  the 
to  compliment 
jtories,  on  the 
be    given  to 
that  quarter, 
ever  been  by 
only  with  the 
Iplied  that  we 
[ther  our  force 


SKGTOH    OF  WEBSrER. 


833 


should  be  directed.  The  policy  proposed  in  this 
speech  should  doubtless  have  been  adopted  at  the 
commencement  of  the  war,  and  might  have  been 
wise  as  late  as  1814,  but  Webster  did  not  propose  it 
for  the  pui-pose  of  having  it  acted  upon.  This  line 
peroration  was  simply  a  safety- valve  to  his  patriot- 
ism. He  dared  not — he  could  not  uphold  the  war, 
or  put  his  shoulders  to  any  measures  designed  to 
carry  it  on  with  vigor.  He  represented  a  State 
opposed  to  it  in  principle,  not  in  mode.  Still,  the 
language  he  used  was  so  different  from  the  other 
leading  Federalists,  that  the  Democrats,  on  the 
whole,  did  not  wish  to  complain.  Webster  at  this 
time  was  but  thirty-one  years  of  age,  rnd  little 
known  except  in  his  own  vicinity.  This  speech, 
however,  delivered  with  the  fervor  and  eloquence 
which  distinguished  him,  gave  clear  indications  of 
his  future  greatness.  Though  a  young  man,  he  ex- 
hibited none  of  the  excitement  and  eagerness  of  youth. 
Calm,  composed,  he  uttered  his  thoughts  in  those 
ponderous  sentences  which  ever  after  characterized 
his  public  addresses.  Large,  well  made,  his  jet  black 
hair  parted  from  a  forehead  that  lay  like  a  marble 
slab  above  the  deep  and  cavernous  eyes  ;  there  was 
a  solemnity,  and  at  times  almost  a  gloom  in  that  extra- 
ordinary face,  that  awakened  the  interest  of  the  be- 
holder. There  was  power  in  his  very  glance,  and 
the  close  compressed  lip  revealed  a  stem  and  un- 


884 


S1E00RD  WAS  WITH   BNOLAlfD. 


!■    f 


yielding  clioractor.  Evon  at  this  age  he  looked  like 
one  apart  from  his  f'^llows,  with  inward  coinniuningH 
to  wliich  no  onu  was  admitted.  When  exc*  od  in 
debate,  tliat  sombre  and  solemn  face  absolutely 
blazed  with  lire,  and  his  voice,  which  before  had 
sounded  sharj)  and  unpleasant,  rung  like  a  clarion 
through  the  house.  His  sentences  fell  with  tlio 
weight  of  Thor's  hammer  —  indeed,  every  thing 
about  him  was  Titanic,  giving  irresistible  weight  to 
his  arguments. 

The  bill  having  passed  the  house,  the  other  author- 
izing a  loan  of  $25,000,000  and  a  reissue  of  treasury 
notes  to  the  amount  of  $10,000,000,  came  up.  Tlie 
expenditures  for  the  coming  year  were  estimated  at 
$45,000,000,  to  meet  which  the  ordinary  means  of 
revenue  were  wholly  insufficient.  A  violent  and 
bitter  debate  arose  on  its  presentation,  which  lasted 
three  weeks.  Regarded  as  so  much  money  appro- 
priated to  the  conquest  of  Canada,  it  met  with  the 
determined  hostility  of  the  opponents  of  the  war. 
Mr.  Eppes  defended  his  bill,  and  went  into  a  long 
and  statistical  account  of  the  revenue  and  ex- 
penditures of  the  nation — showed  how  she  could 
easily,  in  time  of  peace,  pay  off  every  dollar  she 
might  owe — estimated  the  value  of  the  land  and  pro- 
duce and  capital  of  the  country,  and  proved,  as  he 
deemed  satisfiictorily,  that  the  loan  combined  "all 
the  advantages  of  patbty,  profit,  and  a  command  at 


ill 


>rD. 


PICKERING. 


385 


he  looked  like 
1  cornnmningu 
len  exc'  0(1  in 
,ce  absolutely 
5h  before  luid 
like  a  clarion 
fell  with  the 
,  every  thing 
ible  weight  to 

10  other  author- 
i8ue  of  treasury 
came  up.    The 
re  estimated  at 
mary  means  of 
violent  and 
,  which  lasted 
money  appro- 
met  with  the 
s  of  the  war. 
nt  into  a  long 
nue    and  ex- 
iw   she   could 
iry  dollar  she 
land  and  pro- 
proved,  as  he 
:ombined  "all 
command  at 


will  of  the  capital  invested."  Tlio  long  debate  upon 
it  had  little  to  do  with  the  bill  itHclf,  but  swept  the 
whole  range  of  politics  for  the  lust  four  or  live  years. 
The  history  of  the  war  was  gone  over — orders  in 
council,  and  Berlin  and  Milan  decrees  revived  with 
fresh  vigor — the  influence  of  Bonajjarte  in  our  coun- 
cils, though  now  struggling  for  life,  was  charged 
anew  on  the  administration.  Personalities  were 
indulged  in,  and  the  most  absurd  accusations  made  by 
men,  who  on  other  subjects,  exhibited  sound  judg- 
ment and  able  statesmanship.  Mr.  Pitkin  spoke  a 
part  of  two  days,  making  a  frightful  exhibit  of  ex- 
penses, and  denounced  the  war  in  Canada.  Picker- 
ing, with  his  large,  powerful  frame  and  Koman  fea- 
tures, not  belying  the  fearless  character  of  the  man, 
came  down  on  the  administration  with  all  the  power, 
backed  by  the  most  unquenchable  hatred  he  was 
master  of.  A  distinguished  man  in  the  Revolu- 
tion, he  had  from  that  time  occupied  a  prominent 
place  in  the  political  history  of  his  country.  A 
"  Phansoe  of  the  Pharisees"  in  the  Essex  Junto,  he 
cherished  all  the  intense  hatred  of  that  branch  of 
the  Federalists  for  the  war  and  its  supporters.  Built 
on  a  grand  scale,  yet  with  a  heart  hard  as  iron 
towards  a  foe,  fierce  and  bold,  denouncing  his  old 
friend  and  patron,  John  Adams,  because  he  did  not 
hate  France  as  cordially  as  he  thought  every  good 
Christian  should,  having  no  sympathy  with  "Wash- 


830 


8KC()NI>    WAK    WITH    KNOLAND. 


ington's  quiet  and  non-committal  character,  he  looked 
upon  Bonaparte  and  our  war  and  its  supporters,  as 
the  most  monstrous  births  of  the  age.  His  indigna- 
tion at  their  existence  was  only  exceeded  by  his 
wonder  that  heaven,  in  its  just  wrath,  did  not  quench 
all  together.  Probably  the  administration  had  not 
such  a  sincere  and  honest  hater  in  the  whole  Fed- 
eralist ranks.  He  was  an  honest  man  and  possess- 
ed of  most  noble  traits,  but  his  feelings  obscured  his 
judgment  when  speaking  of  the  war,  and  he  gave 
utterance  to  the  most  extraordinary  and  absurd  asser- 
tions. In  this  speech  he  wandered  over  the  whole 
field — took  bold  and  decided  ground — advocated 
openly  the  doctrine  of  the  right  of  search,  as  defend- 
ed by  our  enemy — declared  that  oar  complaints  were 
unjust — denied  the  statement  respecting  the  number 
of  impressed  seamen,  saying  that  many  Americans 
served  voluntarily  on  board  of  British  cruisers — glori- 
fied England  for  her  eflPorts  to  overthrow  Napoleon, 
calling  her  the  "  world's  last  hope."  Having  thus 
defined  his  position  so  clearly,  that  there  could  be  no 
doubt  where  he  stood,  he  turned  to  the  Speaker 
and  looking  him  sternly  in  the  face  through  his 
spectacles,  and  "  swinging  his  long  arm  aloft," 
exclaimed,  "I  stand  on  a  rook  from  which  all  De- 
mocracy— ^no,  not  all  DemoGraoy  and  hell  to  hoot  can 
move  me — the  rock  of  integrity  and  truth."  Mr. 
Shelby  and  Mr.  Miller  followed  in  a  similar  strain, 


I). 


SPEECH   OF  FORSTTn. 


337 


;ter,  he  looked 
jupporters,  as 
His  indigna- 
eeded  by  his 
lid  not  quench 
ation  had  not 
be  whole  Fed- 
n  and  possess- 
es obscured  his 
r,  and  he  gave 
d  absurd  asser- 
iver  the  whole 
lid — advocated 
irch,  as  defend- 
omplaints  were 
ng  the  number 
ny  Americans 
iruisers — glori- 
row  Napoleon, 
Having  thus 
re  could  bo  no 
o  the  Speaker 
through  his 
arm   aloft," 
which  all  De- 
hell  to  hoot  can 
truth."    Mr. 
similar  strain, 


and  Cannda,  with  its  disastrous  campaigns,  was 
flung  so  incessantly  in  tlio  f'lico  ()f  the  war  party,  that 
it  hated  the  very  name.  Grundy  defended  the  bill, 
and  Gaston,  of  North  Carolina,  opposed  it.  Grosve- 
nor  laimched  forth  into  a  violent  harangue,  and  was 
80  personal  and  unparliamentary  in  his  lang  'age 
that  he  was  often  called  to  order.  Very  little,  Iiow- 
ever,  was  said  on  the  merits  of  the  bill.  Tliis  served 
only  to  open  the  flood-gates  of  eloquence,  which  em- 
bracing every  topic  of  the  past  and  present,  deluged 
for  twenty  days  the  floor  of  Congress.  Langdon 
Cheves,  the  Speaker,  though  opposed  to  the  restrictive 
measures  of  the  administration,  upheld  the  war,  and 
defended  the  bill  in  a  long  and  temperate  speech. 
One  of  the  best  speeches  elicited  by  it,  was  made  by 
John  Forsyth.  Hitherto  he  had  taken  but  little  part 
in  the  debates  of  the  House,  and  hence  his  brilliant 
effort  took  the  members  by  surprise  and  arrested 
their  attention.  Handsome,  graceful,  fluent,  ^\\h.  a 
fine  voice  and  captivating  elocution,  he  came  down 
on  the  Federalists  with  sudden  and  unexpected 
power.  Their  unfounded  assertions,  unpatriotic  sen- 
timents and  personal  attacks  had  at  length  roused 
him,  and  as  they  had  wandered  from  the  question  in 
their  blind  warfare,  so  he  passed  from  it  to  repay 
the  blows  that  had  been  so  unsparingly  given. 
Turning  to  the  New  England  delegation,  he  charged 

boldly  on  Massachusetts  the  crime  of  fomenting 
16 


.1' 


338 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


■M 


treason  to  the  State,  if  not  intentionally,  yet  practi- 
cally, by  her  legislative  acts,  iuilammatory  resolu- 
tions and  violent  complaints  of  injustice,  which  were 
the  first  steps  towards  more  open  hostility.  "  I 
mention  them,"  said  he,  "  not  from  fear,  but  to  ex- 
press my  profound  contempt  for  their  impotent  mad- 
ness. Fear  and  interest  hinder  the  factious  spirits 
from  executing  their  wishes.  If  a  leader  should  be 
found  bad  and  bold  enough  to  try,  one  consolation 
for  virtue  is  left,  that  those  who  raise  the  tem- 
pest will  be  the  first  victims  of  its  fury."  Calhoun, 
with  his  clear  logic,  demolished  the  objections  that 
had  been  raised.  He  said  they  could  all  be  reduced 
to  two.  One  was,  that  the  loan  could  not  be  had — 
the  other,  that  the  war  was  inexpedient.  He  de- 
clared both  false,  going  over  the  ground  he  had  been 
compelled  so  often  to  traverse  since  the  commence- 
ment of  the  war.  He  took  up  the  question  of  im- 
pressment— declared  our  war  a  defensive  one — ^bore 
hard  upon  those  who  voted  against  supplies — showed 
that  the  war  had  liberated  us  from  that  slavish  fear 
of  England  whicli  had  rested  like  a  nightmare  on  tlic 
nation — and  started  into  vigorous  growtli  home  man- 
ufactures, destined  in  the  end  to  render  us  indepen- 
dent of  foreign  products,  and  furnishing  us  with  am- 
pler means  to  carry  on  any  war  that  might  occur  in 
the  future. 
This  debate  might  have  lasted  much  longer  but  for 


[). 


xABTEMUS  WAED. 


839 


lly,  yet  practi- 
matory  resolu- 
ice,  wliicli  were 
hostility.     "  I 
fear,  but  to  ex- 
impotent  mad- 
factious  spirits 
',adeT  should  be 
one  consolation 
raise  the  tem- 
iry."     Calhoun, 
objections  that 
i  all  be  reduced 
Id  not  be  had — 
3dicnt.    He  dc- 
md  he  had  been 
the  commence- 
question  of  im- 
isive  one — ^bore 
pplies — showed 
liat  slavish  fear 
ffhtmare  on  the 
wtli  home  man- 
der  us  indepen- 
inff  us  with  am- 
might  occur  in 


longer  but  for 


a  violent  harangue  of  Grosvenor,  full  of  gross  per- 
sonalities, discreditable  to  himself  and  insulting  to 
the  House.  It  was  resolved  to  put  an  end  to  such 
disgraceful  scenes,  and  the  previous  question  was 
moved  and  carried  by  a  majority  of  forty.  A  similar 
fierce  conflict,  however,  took  place  soon  after  on  the 
bill  for  the  support  of  military  establishments,  in 
the  ensuing  year,  and  on  the  motion  to  repeal  the 
Embargo  Act.  In  a  speech  against  the  former, 
Artemus  "Ward  opposed  not  only  the  invasion  of 
Canada,  and  reiterated  the  old  charge  of  subserviency 
to  France,  but  openly  and  boldly  defended  England 
in  the  course  she  had  tak^ ;  declared  that  impress- 
ment was  in  accordance  with  the  law  of  nations,  and 
that  the  doctrine  "the  flag  protects  all  that  sails 
under  it "  was  untenable  and  false.  He  then  went 
gravely  into  the  reasons  of  the  war,  and  laid  down 
the  following  propositions,  which  he  proceeded 
soberly  to  defend  : — 

"  1st.  Napoleon  had  an  ascendancy  in  our  councils 
through  the  fear  or  hopes  he  inspired. 

"2d.  The  administration  wished  to  destroy  com- 
merce, and  make  an  agricultural  and  manufacturing 
people. 

"  3d.  It  wished  to  change  the  form  of  our  govern- 
ment." 

These  extraordinary  propositions  were  severally 
defended,  and  declared  by  himself  fully  proved.    In 


340 


SECOND   WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


M    1 


i-ste? 


11 


I 


reply  to  the  charge  that  the  Federalists  were  nulli- 
fiers,  he  pronounced  it  unjust  and  unfounded,  and 
Baid  that  the  Federalists  of  Massachusetts  would 
"  cling  to  the  Union  as  the  rock  of  their  salvation, 
and  will  die  in  defence  of  it,  provided  they  have 
an  equality  of  lenefits.  But  everything  has  its 
'  hitherto.'  There  is  a  point  heyond  which  submis- 
sion is  a  crime.  God  grant  that  we  may  never 
arrive  at  that  point."  Such  language,  though 
guarded,  was  significant,  and  justified  the  very  charges 
it  was  designed  to  rebut.  Coupled  with  the  action 
of  Massachusetts,  it  furnished  ground  for  the  gravest 
fears.  A  motion  having  been  introduced  during  the 
session  to  the  effect  that  the  Attorney-General 
of  the  United  States  should  prosecute  Go- 
vernor Chittenden,  of  Vermont,  for  recalling  the 
militia  of  the  state  from  Burlington,  Otis  presented 
a  resolution  to  the  Massachusetts  Senate,  de- 
daring  that  the  State  was  prepared  to  sustain, 
with  her  whole  power,  the  Governor  of  Yermont  in 
Bupport  of  his  constitutioi  al  rights.  In  the  mean 
time  the  Le.£rislature  voted  an  address,  denouncing  the 
war  altogether,  ascribing  it  to  hatred  of  the  friends 
of  "Washington's  policy,  to  the  influence  of  foreigners, 
to  envy  and  jealousy  of  the  growing  commercial 
states,  and  desire  for  more  territory.  The  Pennsyl- 
vania Legislature,  on  the  other  hand,  censured  the 
conduct  of  both  Chittenden  and  the  Massachusetts 


Jan.  44r. 


!fD. 


P.reTT  SPIRIT. 


341 


lists  were  nulli- 
infounded,  and 
jliusetts  would 
their  salvation, 
}ided  they  have 
^thing    has    its 
which  submis- 
we  may  never 
guage,    though 
he  very  charges 
with  the  action 
for  the  gravest 
iced  during  the 
ttorney-General 
prosecute    Go- 
recalling  the 
Otis  presented 
itts  Senate,  de- 
Ted  to  sustain, 
ofYermont  in 
In  the  mean 
enouncing  the 
of  the  friends 
|e  of  foreigners, 
[g  commercial 
The  Pennsyl- 
censured  the 
Massachusetts 


Legislature,  declaring  that  the  State  would  support 
the  General  Government  in  meting  out  justice  to  all 
violators  of  the  Constitution.  New  Jersey  was  still 
more  enraged,  and  after  giving  utterance  to 
her  contempt  and  abhorrence  of  the  "  ravings 
of  an  infuriated  faction,  whether  issuing  from  a  legis- 
lative body,  a  maniac  governor,  or  discontented  and 
ambitious  demagogues,  "  Resolved,  that  the  State  was 
ready  to  resist  internal  insurrection  with  the  same 
readiness  as  the  invasion  of  a  foreign  foe."  Thus 
the  storm  of  political  hate  raged  both  within  and 
without  the  halls  of  Congress,  threatening  in  its  fury 
to  send  the  waves  of  civil  strife  over  the  already  dis- 
tracted and  suffering  land.  But  there  was  a  large 
party,  composed  of  the  middling  classes  of  New  Eng- 
land, in  favor  of  the  war.  This,  together  with  the 
outward  pressure  of  the  entire  Union,  combined  to 
make  the  Federalist  leadera  extremely  cautious  in 
tlieir  movements.  The  farmer  was  benefitted  by  the 
war,  for  his  produce  commanded  a  higher  price  in  the 
market,  while  the  manufacturing  interests,  which  the 
restrictive  acts  had  forced  into  importance,  were  also 
advanced,  thus  creating  a  new  antagonist  to  the 
Federalists.  The  embargo,  however,  pressed  heavily 
on  a  large  portion  of  the  country,  calling  forth  loud 
denunciations  and  petitions  from  the  whole  New 
England  coast. 
Fortunately  for  the  administration,  circumstances 


I 


I  "I 


342 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


soon  rendered  it  aseless.  After  struggling  with 
almost  superhuman  courage  and  endurance  to  repel 
the  allies  from  the  soil  of  France,  Kapoleon  saw 
them  at  last  enter  Paris  in  triumph,  and  demolish 
with  a  blow  the  splendid  structure  he  had  reared 
with  so  much  skill  and  labor.  "With  the  overthrow 
of  the  French  Empire  ended  the  Continental  War, 
and  of  course  the  Orders  in  Council,  the  Berlin  and 
Milan  Decrees  fell  at  once  to  the  ground.  The  grand 
cause  of  the  restrictive  system  having  been  removed, 
Madison  sent  a  message  to  the  House  of  Eepresenta- 
tives,  advising  a  repeal  of  the  Embargo  and  Non- 
Importation  Act.  A  bill  to  this  effect  was  reported 
by  Mr.  Calhoun  from  the  Committee  on  Foreign 
Belations.    He  spoke  at  some  lens^th  on  the 

Apr.  4.  *  ° 

first  section,  embracing  the  embargo,  sup- 
ported it  on  the  ground  of  the  recent  changes  in 
Europe,  resulting  from  Bonaparte's  downfall.  Eussia, 
Sweden,  Germany,  Denmark,  Prussia,  and  Spain, 
might  now  be  considered  neutral  nations,  and  by 
opening  our  commerce  to  them,  wo  should  in  time, 
in  all  probability,  attach  them  to  us  in  common  hosti- 
lity to  England,  should  she  continue  her  maritime 
usurpations.  This  country  had  from  the  first  con- 
tended for  free  trade,  and  consistency  required  we 
should  allow  it  to  neutral  powers,  just  as  we  had 
claimed  it  for  ourselves.  In  short,  there  was  no 
reason  for  its  continuance,  except  the  plea  of  con- 


LND. 


CALUOUN   AND    WEBSTER. 


343 


struggling  with 

durance  to  repel 

Kapoleon  saw 

1,  and  demolish 

he  had  reared 

1  the  overthrow 

ontinental  "War, 

,  the  Berlin  and 

and.    The  grand 

J  been  removed, 

3  of  Representa- 

iargo  and  Non- 

ect  was  reported 

tee  on  Foreign 

le  length  on  the 

embargo,  sup- 

3ent  changes  in 

wnfall.    Russia, 

jia,   and  Spain, 

ations,  and  by 

hould  in  time, 

common  hosti- 

her  maritime 

the  first  con- 

ly  required  we 

ust  as  we  had 

there  was  no 

e  plea  of  con- 


sistency. But  he  contended  that  a  change  of  policy 
growing  out  of  a  change  in  the  circumstances  that 
had  originated  it,  could  not  be  called  inconsistent. 
Mr.  Webster  replied  to  him,  saying  that  he  rejoiced 
it  had  fallen  to  his  lot  to  be  present  at  the  funeral 
obsequies  of  the  restrictive  system.  He  felt  a  tem- 
perate exultation  that  this  system,  so  injurious  to  the 
country  and  powerless  in  its  efiect  on  foreign  nations, 
was  about  to  be  consigned  to  the  tomb  of  the  Capu- 
lets.  After  ridiculing  the  whole  restrictive  system, 
saying  it  was  of  like  faith,  to  be  acted — not  deliber- 
.^ted  on,  and  that  no  saint  in  the  calendar  had  been 
more  blindly  followed  than  it  had  been  by  its 
friends,  he  went  on  to  show  that  it  was  designed, 
originally,  to  co-operate  with  France.  He  denounced 
any  system,  the  continuance  of  which  depended  on 
the  condition  of  things  in  Europe.  Such  policy  was 
dangerous,  exposing  us  to  all  the  fluctuations  and 
changes  that  occurred  there.  If  this  universal  appli- 
cation of  a  principle  was  unsound  and  extraordinary 
in  a  statesman,  what  followed  was  still  more  surpris- 
ing. Speaking  of  the  effect  of  the  system  to  stimulate 
manufactories,  he  said  he  wished  none  reared  in  a 
hot-bed.  Those  compatible  with  the  interests  of  the 
country  should  be  fostered,  but  he  wished  to  see  no 
Sheffield  or  Birmingham  in  this  country.  He  des- 
canted largely  on  the  evils  of  extensive  manufactories 
and  populous  towns,  and  intimated  strongly  that  any 


344 


SECOND   WAB  WriH  ENGLAND. 


protective  legislation  in  reference  to  them  would  be 
unwise.  What  complete  summersets  those  two  great 
men,  Webster  and  Calhoun,  and  the  sections  of 
country  they  represented,  have  mad'  since  1814. 
Then  South  Carolina  firmly  supported  the  union 
against  the  doctrine  of  state  rights,  and  Calhoun 
reasoned  eloquently  for  manufactories,  against  Web- 
ster, opposed  to  them.  Years  passed  by,  and 
Massachusetts,  through  her  Webster,  pleaded  nobly, 
sublimely,  for  the  union,  against  the  nullifying 
doctrines  of  South  Carolina,  and  those  two  men, 
standing  on  the  floor  of  Congress,  fought  for  the 
systems  they  had  formerly  opposed,  and  in  fierce 
and  close  combat  crossed  swords  each  for  the  cause 
of  the  other.  Webster  in  1814  condemning  mea- 
sures that  forced  manufactories  into  existence,  and 
afterwards  pleading  earnestly  for  a  high  tariff,  and 
Calhoun  ^t  the  same  time  defending  even  the 
embargo  on  the  ground  that  it  encouraged  them,  and 
afterwards  fighting  sternly  against  that  tariff,  are 
striking  illustrations  of  the  changes  and  fluctuations 
of  political  life.  And  yet  there  may  be  no  incon- 
sistency in  all  this.  "  Tempora  mutantm*^  et  nos 
mutamur  in  ilUs^'*  is  a  sound  maxim.  Webster, 
when  he  charged  inconsistency  on  the  administration 
for  advising  the  repeal  of  the  embargo  act,  after  the 
great  change  in  European  affairs,  little  thought  how 
soon  he  would  be  compelled  to  shelter  himself  behind 


ODR  MILITAltY    FOKOE. 


345 


m  would  be 
36  two  great 
sections  of 
since  1814. 
the  union 
nd  Calhoun 
gainst  Web- 
id   by,    and 
laded  nobly, 
3    nullifying 
s  two  men, 
ight  for  the 
id  in  fierce 
■Qv  the  cause 
mninst  mea- 
dstence,  and 
h  tariff,  and 
2    even  the 
d  them,  and 
t  tariff,  are 
fluctuations 
)e  no  incon- 
ntw,  et  nos 
Webster, 
ministration 
let,  after  the 
;hought  how 
Qself  behind 


this  Latin  maxim.  In  1814  the  interests  of  New 
England  were  closely  allied  with  free  commerce,  and 
her  destiny  pointed  towards  the  sea.  In  a  few  years  her 
capital  was  largely  invested  in  manufactures,  and 
could  the  tariff  have  been  made  a  permanent  policy, 
all  her  crystal  streams  and  dashing  torrents  hurrying 
from  the  mountains  to  the  sea,  would  have  been 
mines  of  almost  exhaustless  wealth.  The  times 
being  changed,  the  dictates  of  true  wisdom  required 
a  change  of  policy.  There  is  no  inconsistency  so 
glaring  and  injurious  as  a  stubborn  adherence  to  old 
dogmas  or  systems,  when  events  in  their  progress 
have  exploded  both. 

Added  to  the  acts  of  Congress  already  mentioned, 
the  most  important  were  those  making  appropriations 
for  the  support  of  the  navy — for  the  building  and 
equipment  of  floating  batteries  for  the  defence  of  the 
harbors  and  rivers  of  our  country.  The  Yazoo  claim 
was  also  disposed  of  during  this  session.  After  an 
ineffectual  attempt  to  introduce  a  bill  for  the  establish- 
ment of  a  national  bank,  and  the  transaction  of  some 
minor  business.  Congress  adjourned  to 
the  last  Monday  in  October. 

Our  naval  force  in  service  in  January  of  this  year, 
independent  of  the  lake  squadrons,  gun-boats,  etc.,  for 
harbor  defences,  was  but  seven  frigates,  seven  sloops- 
of-war,  four  brigs,  three  schooners,  and  four  other 
small  vessels.  The  secretary,  however,  reported  in 
15* 


AprU  18, 1814, 


ft 


I- 


346 


SECOND   WAR  Wmi  ENGLAND. 


February  three  seventy-fours  and  throe  forty-fours  on 
the  stocks,  besides  smaller  vessels,  which  would  make 
thirty-three  vessels,  large  and  small,  in  actual  service 
or  soon  to  be  afloat,  while  thirty-one  were  on  the  lakes. 
The  army,  by  law,  was  increased  at  this  session  to 
64,759  men,  while  the  militia  of  the  union  amounted 
to  719,449  men.  Added  to  this,  the  president  was 
authorized  to  accept  the  service  of  volunteers  to  the 
number  of  10,000,  their  term  of  service  not  to  exceed 
one  year. 

With  such  an  imposing  array  of  force  on  paper, 
with  the  increased  revenue  from  the  direct  tax  laid 
the  year  before,  with  a  loan  of  $25,000,000,  and 
treasury  notes  amounting  to  $10,000,000,  the  govern- 
ment prepared  to  enter  on  a  thkd  campaign. 


END  OF  VOL.  I. 


). 


forty-fours  on 
1  would  make 
actual  service 
e  on  the  lakes, 
his  session  to 
ion  amounted 
president  was 
unteers  to  the 
not  to  exceed 

rce  on  paper, 
irect  tax  laid 
;,000,000,  and 
0,  the  govem- 
mgn. 


i.  T.  HEADLEY'S  WORKS. 

lAPOLEON  AND  HIS  MARSHALS.   By  J.  T.  niADLiT,2  to1&  ISmo.  oMh 
gUt    IlliutrAted  with  12  Portnlta,  $2  60.    26tb  Thonsand. 

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gUt    lUnatrated  with  16  Portndta,  $2  60.    22d  Thouaand. 

HE  SACRED  MOUNTAINS.    By  J.  T.  Headut, 

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Thotuand. 
Do.  da  dOi  12mo,  olotb,  gilt,  |1  2S. 

ACRED  SCENES  AND  CHARACTERS.   By  J.  T.  Hladlht, 

with  12  UlastratloDS.    D«signed  by  Darley,         4th  Thonsand. 
Do.  da  do,  1  ToL  12ma  doth,  gilt,  |1  25, 

ETTERS  FROM   ITALY   AND   ALPS   AND  THE  RHINE.     By  J.  T 

Headlet,  1  ToL  12ino.  cloth.  A  New  Edition.  Bevlsed  and  Enlarged.  With  a  For* 
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IFE  OF  OLIVER  CROMWELL.  By  J.  T.  HsADtET,  1  vol.  12ma  oIoth,gllt^ 
with  Portrait,  $1  25.    6th  Thonsand. 

lEADLEY'S  MISCELLANIES.  Authorized  Edition,  1  vol  12mo,  doth,  fl.  2d 
Thousand. 

iDIRONDACK;  or  life  in  the  woods.  ByJ.T.  HEADLBT.with  Orlgi. 
nal  Deeigns  from  Oignoux,  Ingham,  Dorand,  etc.,  1  toL  12mo.  doth,  |1  25.  4th  Thou- 
Band. 

KETCHES  AND  RAMBLES.  By  J.  T.  Headlet,  1  vol.  12ma  doth,  76o.  2d 
Thousand. 

HE  IMPERIAL  GUARD  OF  NAPOLEON.  From  Marengo  to  Waterloo.  By 
J.  T.  Headlet,  1  toL  12mo.  with  IllustrationB,  cloth,  $1  25.    Just  Published. 

.  T.  HE  ADLEY'S  WORKS-Uniform  Edition,  12  vols.,  in  sheep,  for  Libraries  and 
District  Schools. 

"Mr.  Headley's  peculiarities  as  an  author  are  universally  known.  He  is  one  of  tho 
lost  vigorous  and  spirit-stirring  w^'ters  of  tbo  day,  especially  graphic  and  powerful  in 
irratives  of  exciting  events.  No  one  can  lUil  to  get  from  his  descriptions  moat  graphic, 
rid,  and  lasting  impressions  of  the  scenes  of  which  he  speaks."— itT.  F.  Courier  and 
nquirer. 

"His  descriptions  are  graphic,  his  history  correct,  and  his  suit  iiiiig  up  character  scaraely 
ffors  by  a  comparison  with  similar  poges  in  Tacitus."— JVI  Y.  Evening  Post 

He  speaks  heartily,  earnestly,  truthfully ;  and  the  warm  heart  answers  to  his  voice."*— 
'.  Y,  Observer. 

"Each  one  of  his  Biographies  is  a  grand  historical  picture,  conveying  in  a  most  imptec* 
ve  way,  a  true  idea  of  the  events  of  the  tima.'^—Cinoitmati  Herald. 

Mr.  Headley  is  truly  eloquent  iu  bis  description  of  character.  He  presents  to  yo>>  tha 
rong  points  of  the  man  with  a  clearness  that  seems  to  place  him  before  yon  as  on  old 
foaintance."— (7Ze«e2a7uZ  Ueratd 

Whatever  critics  may  choose  vo  say,  Mr.  H.  will  never  lack  readers.    The  stir  and  fire 
his  descriptions  will  touch  a  popular  chord.    In  describing  the  battle  field  and  ttie 
noltuous  stirring  life  of  the  camp^  Mr.  U.  ia  what  Cooper  was  upon  the  Sea.->A.  a 
wngeHatk 


*-►- 


IK  ' 


LIVING  ORATORS  OP  AMERIOA. 
poftnlta.    Price,  |1  96. 


Bj  B«r.  S.  L  Maooor.   1  toL  ISiiio.,  win 


THE  ORATORS  OF  THE  AMERICAN  REVOLUTION.    By  Rev.  E.  I, 

Maooon.    1  vol.  12tno.,  with  portraits.    Price,  $1  28. 
Mr.  Magoon  is  a  docldod  original.    Both  his  thoughts  and  his  manner  of  ezprMslo^ 
tbem,  are  peoollar  and  striking.—^  F.  Evangeliat, 

Mr.  Magoon,  who  is  a  vivid,  nervons  writer,  has  thrown  a  charm  aronnd  the  charaeta 
of  the  men  whose  history  he  has  delineated,  that  will  canse  the  book  to  be  read  with 
Tuoal  iatbTMt—Cfhritttan  iSeoretarjf. 

These  volnmes  contain  exceedingly  clear  sketches  of  onr  greatest  orators;  so  arrangn 
contrasted  and  compared,  that  the  peculiar  powers  and  excellencies  of  each  are  set  befm 
the  mind  in  a  strong  light— Sprtnafleld  BepvXtllean, 

Every  American  wQl  read  these  works  with  national  pride,  and  have  his  better  fBelini 
and  sentiments  enkindled  and  strengthened. — Western  ^terary  Meu«ng«r. 

THE  WOMEN  OF  THE  AMERICAN  REVOLUTION.   By  Mn.  E.  F.  Eun 

8  voI&  12ma,  with  portraits.    Price,  $8  60. 

The  work  fills  a  place  In  onr  Bevolntlonary  history  that  wonld  scarcely  be  eompitt 
without  it ;  indeed,  we  consider  it  as  one  of  the  most  valuable  contributions  that  ban 
boon  made  to  the  history  of  our  country  in  a  long  time. — HwaCa  Magagine. 

We  counsel  especially  the  young  women  of  our  country  to  lay  aside  their  novels, 
least  until  they  shall  have  read  "The  Women  of  the  Kevolutlon."   Those  of  them  wbi 
bavo  souls  will  find  It  replete  with  Interest  and  instruction.— iT.  T.  TribwiA 

The  narratives  ore  brief,  spirited,  and  profoundly  Interesting;  especially  as  showing  ho 
the  toils,  the  privations  and  dangers  of  the  war,  made  themselves  felt,  perhaps  even  morf 
keenly,  in  the  homes  than  on  the  battle-fields  of  the  Bevolntlonary  champions.— J^ 
Oomtnercial, 

The  authoress  has  succeeded  in  collecting  a  large  amount  of  new  and  Important  tat 
illustrative  of  the  heroism  evinced  in  action  and  suffering,  by  the  women  who  lore  theij 
part  in  the  Bevolution,  which  have  no  place  in  the  political  histories  of  the  timo,  anf 
have  been  derived  almost  entirely  from  private  sources.— Jl^  T.  Journal  of  Commeru. 

The  rich  store  of  information  contained  In  these  volumes,  has  been  procured  at  the  c» 
of  much  and  laborious  research,  from  the  surviving  relatives  of  the  heroines,  scattero 
through  various  parts  of  the  Union.    Personal  recollections  have  been  recorded ,  familj 
papers  and  letters  examined,  and  the  work  thus  made  a  falthftil  and  vivid  exhibition  oft 
domestic  acenea  of  the  wax.— Charleston  Inquirer. 

The  conception  of  the  book  Is  at  once  beautiM  and  patriotic,  and  its  execution 
worthy  of  Its  subject,  and  worthy  of  the  reputation  of  Its  gifted  anthoreaar—Allany  Ati 

These  sketches  are  of  thrilling  interest,  as  we  gather  from  a  hasty  glance  at  their  i 
Tk*  narrative  is  dear,  concise,  and  very  agreeably  written.— i^  S.  Merc/wry. 


IfAOOOff.   1  Tol.  12moi,  irtt] 

UTION.    "7  Rev.  E.  I 
I  his  manner  of  expreMln^ 


Bharm  around  the  oharact* 
be  book  to  be  read  with  nit 


reatest  orators;  soarrsngn 
lendes  of  each  are  set  befw 


snd  have  his  better  feeling 
ry  Messmfftr. 

>N.   B7MrSbB.F.Ei 


vonid  scarcely  be  conipI» 
ble  contributions  that  harj 
r«  Magazine. 

to  lay  aside  their  novela,  i 
Hon."    Those  of  them  wbj 
r.  Y.  THbwiA 

;  especially  as  showing  ho 
ves  felt,  perhaps  even  i 
itionary  champions.— J^ 


r  new  and  Important  tu 
the  women  who  boro  ( 
1  histories  of  the  timo,  anf 
'.  Journal  of  Commerce. 

IS  been  procured  at  tho  ( 
B  of  the  heroines,  scattoroj 
jave  been  recorded ,  familj 
I  and  vivid  exhibition  of  to 


iotlc,  and  its  execution 
I  authoress— -4^5any  AH 

hasty  glance  at  their  j 
',  B.  Merewry. 


